Hallway
by realeyesfantasize
Summary: Can you solve the riddle: two girls, one guy; threesome it is not; one wins, one loses; he is the prize; who is she? At the close, all will be revealed.
1. one

**one**

* * *

 _The Best Friend_

* * *

I know what's in the envelope the moment I pull it from the mailbox.

It's a silvery-gray card stock and heavy in hand like the rock that's settled in my gut. The top flap showcases their initials entwined in perfect calligraphy. The wax stamp is a glittering green – symbolizing the exorbitant amount of money that was wasted on this cruel fucking joke.

Tentatively, I slide my index finger under the flap. It gently separates from the rest. The pad of my finger glides slowly – thoughtfully – against the edge, until it catches. Gasping, I pull my finger away and stick it immediately into my mouth.

Fitting, it _would_ give me a papercut.

I put the envelope back amongst the others and, with a deep sigh, head back into the house. "Got the mail," I tell mom as I pass her in the hall. She smiles, taking the bundle from my hands. My answering smile is forced.

I watch her as she sifts through the mail at the hall table, sorting the envelopes into neat little piles. Bills, letters, spam – her hand pauses on the gray card stock.

"Did you see this?" She asks, flipping the envelope around before tearing through the back. When I don't answer, she turns to me with a smile. "The invite is for three."

I shrug, looking at the framed family portrait that's hanging just beyond her left shoulder. My smile was so big then – genuine. I want it back.

"That was nice of them to invite your father and I, too." Mom continues, carrying the invitation through the archway that leads into the kitchen. I trail her, feeling queasy. "We'll definitely be going." She doesn't hesitate to hang the invite on the fridge with a magnet.

Eyes on fire, I swallow acid. That card doesn't belong on our fridge – it belongs in the trash. I'm so fucking glad I moved out years ago so I don't have to look at it every time I'm in the kitchen.

Mom doesn't know, though, so I push it down and peel my lips back in a smile. "When is it?" Her head tilts at me questioningly so I clarify. "The wedding."

"Oh, you don't know already?" Mom tilts her head curiously at me before continuing. "It's in March at the country club – how adorable. Isn't that where they met?"

I nod in confirmation while the already shattered pieces of my heart splinter. How could I forget that they met at the country club? I was there – and he was mine then. He's always been mine, until she showed up.

"Will you RSVP for the three of us?" Mom nods, smiling as she ducks out of the kitchen.

If she expects me to _just watch_ as she marries him in the same place that she stole him from me, she's mistaken. I was stupidly passive when she first showed up in his life. He's had plenty of relationships since we ended our little affair two years ago – none of them stuck. Not like me. Why would she be the exception? He's been with models. A sweet little daddy's girl with a face full of freckles and wrists lined with tennis bracelets wouldn't even be a blip on his radar.

I assumed wrong.

A month into their relationship, he proposed. And she said yes, of course. And I – being the good friend that I am – laid down and took it, even though my heart was breaking. But now, I'm done. I will lay down no more. If they want me at their wedding, I'll go. But I'm going with a fucking plan.

He's mine – he's always been mine. I've known him my entire life. She's known him for two fucking minutes. I know what he likes, dislikes. I know how he takes his coffee in the morning – cinnamon bun flavored creamer with a heaping spoonful of sugar (or two). I know what all of his facial expressions mean. I know that he still uses bunny ears when he ties his shoes. I know that he prefers clip on ties. I know the dimples in his cheeks and the wrinkles on his nose when he smiles.

It's time to stop a wedding and take back what is rightfully mine.

* * *

 **Hi everyone: hope you enjoyed the first chapter! This is the first fic I've published on here, so feedback is encouraged and appreciated. This fic is almost fully written, so I will be updating twice a week regularly (M/Th).**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **xo**


	2. two

**Hi All - I said in chapter one that'd I'd update on Thursday, but I'm just too excited to wait until then! Thank you all for your kind reviews, I really appreciate the love (: And to all of you that put Hallway on favorite/alert, you da bomb! Thanks for your interest and support (:**

 **Anyway** **, the summary contains a riddle, which I hope you all will have fun solving as the story progresses. As you'll notice in this chapter, it switches POV from "The Best Friend" to "The Fiancé" and never specifies who is who - not even in the story dialogue. I'm doing that intentionally. It just wouldn't be as fun if I gave it all away in the first chapter! One hint I _will_ give you is that, yes, one of these lovely ladies is Bella. Which one? I'll never tell (; **

**Lastly, the summary states that all will be revealed "at the close." That's right, you guessed it - you won't find out who is who until the end. I realize that that's mean, but I think you all - you stick with me - will have pretty strong opinions on the matter by that time.**

 **Enjoy! (:**

 **two**

* * *

 _The Fiancée_

* * *

Bliss. Total and complete bliss. That's what being the future Mrs. Edward Cullen feels like.

"Are you listening to me?" Ron snaps, pulling me out of my day dreams.

"What?" I ask, trying to hide my smile behind the scone that I lift to my lips.

"I said, are you listening to me? And clearly, you weren't." Her sour facial expression tells me that I've been unsuccessful at hiding my smile.

"Sorry." I tell her, dropping the pastry on my plate before dusting my fingers off on a napkin. "I'm just… distracted."

"Hmph," Ron harrumphs grumpily. "You've been distracted a lot lately – practically every time the light hits that giant rock on your finger!"

"Sorry," I repeat, flashing her an apologetic smile. "I'm just happy – you know."

"Happy, shmappy." Ron grumbles. "You're always happy! I would know. I've had to live in the shadow of my angelic little sister for twenty-three years."

"Oh, come on!" I laugh, rolling my eyes at the grumpy look she flashes me. "You were just as angelic as me! Well, until you hit puberty."

"Whatever." Ron tries to stay annoyed, but I can tell she's about to crack smile. "You love me regardless."

"I do." At this, her smile finally cracks.

"And I love you." She tells me, face suddenly serious. "More than anything."

"More than anything." I repeat, continuing our childhood ritual.

 _-Hallway-_

"I'm home!" I call out, dropping my purse on the entryway table.

"In here!" Edward shouts from across the condo, making the smile that's already on my face grow.

"Hi," I say, once I'm standing in the office doorway. Edward looks up, dark rimmed glasses perched sexily on the bridge of his nose. "Working on a case?"

"Yeah," he says, nose wrinkling in his signature dimpled smirk. "Come here."

Grinning like a fool, I push off from the doorway and amble toward him. His hands reach out as I approach, sliding up my legs to my waist which he uses to guide me onto his lap. "Hi," he murmurs, once I'm settled.

"Hi," I repeat, nuzzling my face into his fragrant neck. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." He says, voice husky as he grasps my chin and seals his lips to mine. My stomach instantly drops, just like the first time he kissed me in the dark movie theater hallway. "Mmm," he murmurs as we separate. "You taste like chocolate."

"Guilty." I giggle, pressing a soft kiss behind his ear. "I had a chocolate chip scone at lunch."

"Yummy," Edward mutters, leaning in to steal another kiss from my lips. "How was lunch? Did you tell Ron I said hello?"

"It was really good…" I trail off, experiencing an echo of the emptiness I've been feeling at her absence these past two weeks. "I've missed her… and of course, she says hello back."

"I know you've missed her." Edward sighs, nuzzling my neck as he plays with the bracelets stacked heavily on my left wrist. "I have to admit – I'm kind of jealous."

"What?!" I laugh, pulling away to fix him with a confused smile. "She's my big sister. She's been my best friend since birth! How can you be jealous?"

"Hmm," Edward murmurs, thumb now rubbing against my engagement ring. "Maybe I just don't want to share you with anyone."

I roll my eyes at him and move to wrap both arms around his neck. "And I don't want to share you." I tell him, leaning in to kiss the spot on his cheek where his dimple appears. "But I _do_." At my comment, he frowns.

"Hey," his face is deadly serious as he pushes the hair back from my face. "You know there's nothing there, right?" At my tentative nod, he continues. "It's only you, baby. I'm marrying you. She's just my best friend – she has been since we were kids."

"I know." I tell him, feeling reassured at his words. "And it's only you for me, too. I knew it the moment I saw you."

"I did too." He tells me, a slow smile creeping across his face. "I couldn't keep my eyes off you. You were so damn cute in that little pink dress."

Grinning like a fool, I laugh. "Oh, yeah. _That_ dress. You love that dress."

"For good reason." He quips, tongue peeking out from between his teeth. "Those legs…" The naughty glint in his eye is all the warning I get before he launches into a full-blown tickle attack.

"Stop!" I laugh, twisting away from his wiggling fingers. "You're gonna make me pee!"

"Nope," he chuckles, following me down to the ground when I jerk off of his lap. "You're fighting a losing battle, baby." Edward laughs, pinning my arms above my head.

"Why do we always end up in this position?" I laugh, hitching my legs up around his hips.

"Because you're irresistible." He murmurs before lowering his face to mine.

Bliss. Bliss, indeed.

* * *

 **Now that you've met both ladies, any theories you'd care to share? I'm excited to hear what you all think!**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Expect chapter 3 on Friday.**

 **xo**


	3. three

**three**

* * *

 _The Best Friend_

* * *

"It's good to see you." Edward says, smiling as he slips into the booth across from me.

"You too." I tell him, biting my lip as he runs his fingers through his wild hair. A nervous habit he's displayed since childhood.

"How's work been since the promotion?" His fingers immediately find the salt shaker. Definitely nervous.

" _Really_ good," I laugh. "Been kicking ass and taking names."

"Wouldn't expect anything less from you." His pale green eyes twinkle behind his glasses. My heart thrums in my chest.

"What about you? How's life as a high-profile attorney?" At this, he grins. The dimples that appear in his cheeks make me salivate with need.

"Tedious – and I wouldn't say high profile." His eyes roll self-deprecatingly.

"Right," I laugh. "Always so modest."

"That's me." He grins, before turning serious. "So, um, I didn't ask you here to just shoot the shit." I tilt my head curiously as a sign for him to continue. "As you know – I'm getting married in three months." I resist the urge to roll my eyes. How could I forget? "And I know that this is a little unorthodox, but I'd like for you to be my best man."

I wish I could say that I was expecting that, but I'm not. I'm so shocked that I nearly inhale a piece of lettuce. "What?" I choke out after I've hacked half a salad out of my lungs.

"My best man." Edward repeats. "Like you to be, I would."

Still winded from literally inhaling my lunch, I manage to choke out a laugh. "Okay, Yoda." His smirk is smug as I fight back a smile and instead take a huge gulp of water.

"I don't want to assume." He begins, smirking at me from across the table. "So I'm going to ask… Is that a yes?"

Warmed inside from his attention, I grin. "Yes." I tell him. "It's a yes."

His answering smile is so beautiful, I melt. Immediately, I take a mental picture – noting every little detail. The way his hair shines gold in spots in this light. The pieces that stick up and twist together in lazy curls. The crinkles on either side of his eyes, which are framed by dark, long lashes and shine from behind his dark rimmed glasses. The wrinkles on his scrunched-up nose – showing me that his smile is not only beautiful, but genuine. The freckles that smatter across his high cheekbones and the bridge of his nose. The dimples, oh god, the dimples. The sparse, golden hairs that decorate his cheeks, square jaw, and chin. The dark pink of his lips, the top one just a tad bit fuller than the bottom. The slight shadow on his left front tooth, which he chipped when we were eleven after forcefully colliding with my chin on the trampoline.

"Thank you." He murmurs, smile deepening. "There's no one I'd rather have up there on the alter with me than you."

I swallow, tasting my lunch for the second time. "Of course," I tell him with numb lips and a throbbing heart. "Anything for you, Ed."

His answering smile is salacious. "Anything?" He asks, thick eyebrows wiggling.

Swallowing back my bitterness, I allow myself to fall back into the banter that has defined our relationship for years. "Anything." I repeat, throwing him a saucy wink.

"Good," he smirks before leaning down and licking the tomato sauce off of his fork. My thighs clench at the sight of his soft, pink tongue. I want to be that fork. "Because I'm about to ask you for another favor."

"Oh god," I laugh. "What now?" Please be a favor of the sexual variety. I _need_ him right now.

"Will you go to the bachelorette party?"

This time, I choke on water.

"What the hell!" I cry, wiping the moisture from beneath my eyes. "What is with you and making me fucking choke today?"

At my exclamation, Edward smirks. "As I recall, you happen to like being choked."

I'm glad I'm not drinking or eating, or else I'm sure I'd choke for real this time. Sputtering, I cover my face. Images flash behind my lids. His naked flesh, golden and warmed from the sun, entwined with mine. Hair hanging over his eyes as he holds himself over me. Top lip trapped between his teeth and soft hands closing firmly around my throat.

"What?" Edward laughs, reaching across the table to tug my hands away. "It's true and you know it."

"Edward," I sigh, squeezing his hand in mine. "You can't say things like that to me." You don't know what it makes me want to do to you.

He rolls his eyes and pinches my fingers before releasing me. "Whatever." His smirk is lazy, nonchalant. "It's not like we're flirting or anything. You don't see me like that anymore."

My mouth falls open at his flippant remark. Is he really that blind?

"Anyway, the bachelorette party – you down?" He raises his eyebrows at me in question when I'm slow to respond.

"Uh – I don't know. Let me check my calendar and get back to you. When is it?" He rolls his eyes, telling me he's not amused with my backtracking, but gives me the date regardless.

"It's two weeks before the wedding – that Friday. Go ahead and pretend to check your calendar." He smirks, nodding toward my phone. "I'll wait."

I scowl and cross my arms defensively. He can't let me get away with anything. "Okay," I acquiesce. "I'll fucking go. But just so you know, if there aren't dildos and strippers, I'm out."

"That," Edward says, pausing to smirk knowingly. "You'll get at my bachelor party, best man."

* * *

 **Hm, the BF and Edward have a deep history... And girl best man? What do you all think? Let me know in the comments! Also - t** **hanks again to everyone who has showed some love to my little fic! I very much appreciate it.**

 **Chapter 4 will be up on Monday (: Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!**

 **xo**


	4. four

**four**

* * *

 _The Fiancée_

* * *

"These," I sigh, leaning down to inhale the sweet bundles of flowers. "Are perfect, mom."

"Right?" She smiles. "I knew you'd just _love_ them. They're beautiful – just like you, angel."

At the mention of my mother's nickname for me, I cut my eyes over to Ron – I can't help it. And, of course, she's scowling. Like I knew she'd be.

"Veronica," Mom scolds. "Hold your mouth like that for too long and it'll get stuck!"

"Too late," I laugh, nudging Ron with my shoulder as I pass her. The shove I get to the back of my head tells me that she didn't appreciate my comment.

"There's always Botox, dear." Mom mutters, patting Ron's arm before fluttering away to talk with the florist.

"Fucking bitch." Ron grumbles, grumpily plucking a petal from a rose. "Fuck!" She gasps, pulling her hand away sharply.

"Watch it," I warn her, gesturing to the bundle of roses she was just molesting. "They're thorny – like you."

Ron scowls and flips me the bird. I flip her one back, to which she answers with the double bird. "Excuse me." Mom hisses, interrupting what was sure to become a full-blown catfight had she not intervened. "What are you two, five? We're in public."

"That's right," Ron sasses. "We're in _public_!"

"Veronica!" Mom growls, pinching the back of Ron's arm like she did when we were kids. "Grow up."

"That's right," I sass. "Grow up, _Ron_!" Mom turns her angry, hawk-like eyes on me. "Hey!" I screech as she approaches. "I'm getting married! I don't want a bruise in the wedding pictures! They'll think Edward beats me!"

"Your wedding isn't for another three months." Mom says before snagging my arm skin in a searing pinch.

 _-Hallway-_

"Well?" I prompt after Edward's thoroughly kissed the air from my lungs. "What did she say?"

"Yes," he smirks, coming in for another kiss. I lean into him, threading my fingers through his soft hair. His hands grapple at my waist, pulling me tighter against him. Our groins meet sharply.

"Unf," I moan, shifting my hips against his. "Yes to which?"

"Which, what?" Edward groans, his fingers making quick work of the buttons on my blouse. Once fully unbuttoned, his hands slide around back to unclasp my bra.

"Um," I gasp, watching as he tugs my shirt out of my skirt and tosses it, along with my bra, to the side. "Which question?" I mutter, swallowing as Edward cups my breasts in his hands and attaches his mouth to my throat.

"Both," He growls against my throat. "She said yes to both."

"Oh," I sigh, twisting my head to the side so as to give him better access to my neck. "Good."

"Yeah," he murmurs, ducking his head to lave his tongue over a nipple. "Fuck, I love your tits." Thrusting my chest out, I encourage his ministrations.

His lips and tongue are soft as they flick and pull at my nipples, with intermittent tugs from his teeth. My body is on fire as I wriggle in his grasp, rubbing my crotch against the growing bulge in his pants.

"Stand up," He tells me, pulling away from my chest. On wobbly legs, I obey. "Take that off." He tilts his head at my skirt. Trembling fingers unhook and unzip before the skirt is laying in a pool of fabric on the floor.

Edward's eyes are feral as he appraises me from head to toe. "Sit on the desk." He instructs, warm palms guiding me down onto the cool metal and glass. My knees tremble as he separates them. He's had me like this before – many times – but it still feels like the first.

"So soft." He mutters, lips burning a trail of feather-light kisses up my thigh. "So pretty." His finger gently runs down the center of my underwear. "So wet." His tongue teases the edge of underwear, almost dipping beneath but not quite.

"Please." I gasp, gripping his hair in my hands. His eyes flick up, glittering like jewels in his beautiful face.

"Please, what?" He murmurs, nuzzling his face against my panty-covered crotch. "Tell me what you want, baby."

"Touch me," I rasp, tugging his hair. "Lick me, please."

Smirking, he obliges. Tugging my panties to the side, he touches his tongue to my clit. I jerk so hard at the initial contact, I knock over his pen holder. Unperturbed, he continues his onslaught. With one hand pressing my knee to my chest, he consumes me.

"Oh my god," I moan, falling back against the desk as he sucks my clit into his mouth. "Don't stop, please, don't stop." Hips rocking back and forth, I ride his face until I crest. Panting, I push him away from me when it gets too sensitive.

"Mmmm," Edward hums, licking his lips. "I love licking that sweet little pussy." His crass words would normally make me blush, but I'm too blissed out to react.

Standing swiftly, Edward tears off my underwear and discards his pants quickly before pressing my knees to my chest once again and sliding inside. "Fuck," he pants, watching himself disappear. "Always so fucking tight."

Suddenly, he tilts his hips and then he's hitting me _right there_. "Oh shit," I gasp, scrambling to find something to hold onto for leverage. "Please, baby – ugh – don't stop."

Smirking, he hammers away at that spot, making my toes curl and my eyes roll back. "Right there?" He taunts, rocking his hips against mine. "Does that feel good?"

"Yes," I chant. "Yes, yes, yes!"

Groaning, he presses my knees higher. A ball of pulsing pleasure, I grab at him, pulling him into me, onto me, until he suddenly freezes – releasing into me – and collapses against me.

"Fuck," he groans against my throat. "That was good."

"Mmmm," I hum, pushing his sweaty hair back from his face. "That was better than good."

Smirking, he pulls away. "I'm just _that_ good."

Rolling my eyes, I hop off of the desk and shove his shoulder playfully. "You wish." At his crestfallen face, I smirk and then take off down the hallway. "Race you to the shower!"

I don't get two steps away before he catches me and hauls me over his shoulder. "Not yet." He says, giving me a playful swat on the butt. "I want to muss you up a bit more before I rinse you down."

* * *

 **Happy Monday, all! Hope you all enjoyed chapter four (: what's next, you** **ask? You'll see later on this week! As always, thanks for the reviews! I appreciate the love (: See you on Thursday, my friends!**

 **xo**


	5. five

**five**

* * *

 _The Best Friend_

* * *

"The best man? Really?" Victoria's face is incredulous as she peers at me from over the cubicle divider.

"We've been best friends since birth, Vic." I sigh, passing my palm over my face. "It just makes sense, you know?"

"No," Victoria quips, bitch brow firmly in place. "It actually doesn't make any sense at all. Especially when you take into account your history together. I don't know how you two can go back to a seemingly platonic relationship after sharing six squirting orgasm filled months together. I would never be able to consider someone who fucked me that good a friend."

"Keep your voice down!" I laugh, standing up sharply to haul her scrawny ass into the nearby breakroom. "Jesus, I don't want the whole office knowing my business."

"Psh," Victoria guffaws. "Everyone around here already knows you're a freak. My loud ass just confirmed it for them. Watch – Newton's for sure going to be slipping you his number. I saw him checking out your ass the other day at the all-hands meeting."

"You're vile," I tell her, smirking. "But honestly, it was better for us that we ended things. It was… too intense. And I've never been the kind of person that subscribes to the whole monogamous relationship thing. It's just not really me – and it's _so_ him, you know? I knew I'd eventually hurt him, so I put a stop to it before we got too deep."

"I'm not buying it." Victoria's eyes narrow as she stares intently into mine. "You have tells, missy. There's something you're leaving out... See! You keep tugging on your hair – that's one of your tells!"

"What!" I exclaim, belatedly dropping the piece of hair I was winding around my finger. "Listen, no, it's not like that. There's nothing else left to say." Except that you're so right and I'm so fucked.

"Hm," Victoria hums, crossing her arms over her chest. "Da Nile is not just a river in Egypt, my friend."

I roll my eyes at her attempted joke and sigh. "I'm not in denial, Vic. I know how I feel." Yeah, I know that I'm so very in love with him it hurts. "There's really nothing to tell. We both moved on and we're better friends for it."

"Okay," Victoria sighs. "You can keep denying your feelings all you want. All you're doing is hurting yourself. But just so you know, I think you should do something about it. He's known this chick for what? Six months? That's ridiculous."

"Eight." I correct, fighting back tears in order to maintain my façade of calm. "I know it's a little… fast but when you know, you know… you know?"

Victoria's face crumples in sadness. "Oh, honey…" She murmurs, reaching for me. "You're so strong. Come here." Her hands gently grasp my shoulders and pull me into her warm embrace. Sighing, I allow myself to hug her back.

"I'm okay," I tell her and myself. "I'll… I'll get over it."

"You need to be honest with yourself," she tells me, squeezing me harder into her embrace. "And _him_. He deserves to know how you feel. You deserve the chance to _tell_ him how you feel."

Sighing deeply, I shake my head. "I-I don't know." I tell her, pulling away from her embrace slowly. "I normally am the kind of person that takes charge and takes what I want… but with this, I'm at a loss."

"Tell me," Victoria says gently. "I'm here for you, babe."

"Okay," I sigh, letting the façade drop. "Vic, I'm fucking miserable."

"That's a great start," Victoria says, grasping my hands encouragingly. "Let it all out, hon."

"You were right in your assumption – going from being in an intense relationship to platonic is impossible! After I ended things, we were weird for a bit. It was kind of hard to regain our footing as friends – I even thought we might end our friendship, too, for a while there. But then, things suddenly shifted back to the way they were before… well, for _him_ at least."

"What do you mean?" Victoria probes, eyes shining with concern.

"He… um, just kind of moved on – I think. He started dating again, and we fell back into our old routine of meeting out for drinks and dinner and texting… and the innuendo-filled banter. He seemed completely fine with it all." At this admission, my hands find my hair and begin torturing a strand.

"And you?" Victoria asks, stopping the maddening twisting of my fingers. "How did you feel about it?"

"Confused." I sigh, letting my arms fall limply to my sides. "For my whole life, Edward's been my best friend. But… there's always been something _there_." At my hesitation, Victoria raises her eyebrows in a signal to continue. "This is going to sound bad," I warn her. She just shrugs and motions for me to continue. "Growing up, I always knew Edward was attractive – I mean look at him, he's gorgeous. But, I was never really attracted to him _like that_. That, however, wasn't the case for him. It was blatantly obvious that he was harboring a pretty big crush on me… and, as much as I hate to admit this, I liked it. I liked the attention he gave me. I liked how jealous he would get when I was dating someone else."

"Hon – that's nothing to be ashamed of," Victoria says reassuringly. "Everyone wants to feel loved. That's part of being human."

"No," I sigh, rubbing at my temples to try and ease the pounding that this conversation is causing. "That's not all, Vic. I used to give him just enough to keep him on the hook. I was a horrible friend. I wouldn't let him down, let him move on. I would flirt with him shamelessly and encourage his feelings when I had zero intention of reciprocating them."

"Jesus," Victoria laughs. "You were a teenager, babe. We all do stupid shit. There's no need to start beating yourself up over it now. It's done."

"I know," I sigh. "But looking back now, I feel like a total piece of shit for how I treated him. He didn't deserve that. I should have seen it… or realized how fucking perfect he is and – I don't know – done something about it. We wouldn't be having this fucking conversation right now if I had, that's for sure."

"But…" Victoria starts, stopping to chew her lip before continuing – a sure sign that she's about to say something she knows I won't like. "Two years ago. You had your chance to have him… and _you_ ended things with him."

"Ugh!" I cry, forcefully rubbing at my eyes with the heels of my hands. "I know, I fucking blew it. I was – I _am_ – so stupid. You know what? I don't fucking deserve him. I should just let him marry the bitch."

"You and I both know that she's not a bitch, babe." Victoria lightly scolds. "And you're not _stupid_ … you're just very fond of… self-sabotaging."

"Right." I laugh bitterly. "We should get back. We've been in here for way too long."

"Okay," Victoria sighs, face still uncertain. "You going to be okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." I assure her, moving to head back into the main room.

"Wait!" She calls, grabbing my arm and stopping my retreat to my desk. "Tomorrow. Happy hour?"

I roll my eyes and nod. We do Friday happy hours together so often it's almost ritual. "Of course, Vic."

"Good," she smiles, releasing my arm. "We need time to plot."

"Plot?" I ask, the confusion I'm feeling surely showing in my face.

"Yes," Victoria says, eyebrows raised in challenge. "We've got a groom to steal."

* * *

 **Hi All! I'm glad you are all still with me (: I just wanted to address something I saw come up in the reviews. There seems to be some confusion about Ron. Ron is a nickname for Veronica. You'll see me refer to her as Ron, Ronnie and Ronald. They're all the same person! However, Ron and Edward's best friend are NOT the same person. Ron is just Edward's fiancee's sister (say that five times fast). I know, I know, this whole nameless main characters thing is a bit confusing. But isn't it fun?**

 **What do you all think about the best friend's actions as a teen? Do you think she deserves a chance to tell Edward how she feels?** **As always, thanks for the love! Look out for chapter six on Monday.**

 **xo**


	6. six

**six**

* * *

 _The Fiancée_

* * *

"Say it again?" I request, rolling onto my side.

"Mrs. Cullen," Edward murmurs, gently brushing the strands of straight, dark hair away from my face.

"Again." I sigh dreamily, staring into his beautiful eyes. His dark lashes lift and drop, revealing more and less of the vibrant green of his irises, as he scans my face sleepily.

"Mrs. Cullen," he repeats, voice husky with sleep and lust.

"Mmm," I hum. "I like the sound of that."

"I like the sound of you." Edward states, dragging his hand down my face to grasp the back of my neck. Tugging gently, he pulls my mouth down to his. Stomach tied in knots, I gasp into his mouth as he takes my bottom lip between his teeth.

"Again?" I gasp as he rolls on top of me, fusing our naked skin together. Grinning, with sleepy eyes and cinnamon-colored hair hanging over his forehead, he nods.

"I'll never tire of you." He murmurs, leaning down to nuzzle his face into my neck. "Mrs. Cullen."

 _-Hallway-_

"You're going to have to think about it at some point," Ron warns.

"That's your job, Ronnie. Just… do whatever. I don't really care." Thinking better of that, I amend my statement. "Just no sex toys. And no fake cops busting in and taking off their clothes. That's just… tacky." Ron scowls, blue eyes flashing defiantly.

"Now that is something that I will not agree to." When my mouth opens in protest, Ron holds up her hand to silence me. "This is your last weekend as a single woman. As your older – and _only_ – sister, I reserve the right to go all out. That means showering you in as many phallus-shaped items I can find and letting jacked dudes covered in body oil rub themselves against you."

"Um," I gasp, a traitor blush creeping up my neck. "Isn't that cheating?"

"No!" Ron exclaims, shaking her head and looking at me like I'm a complete idiot. "What do you think Edward is going to be doing during his bachelor party? Surely not sitting at home, sipping wine with his bros like a fucking lame ass."

"He's going to Vegas," I acquiesce with a shrug. Ron raises her eyebrows and shakes her head in a way that says, 'I told you so.'

"If he's going all out – we should too." Her face screws up in thought for a moment before she snaps her fingers and smiles. "Miami!"

"Are you crazy?" I laugh, shaking my head. "We're not going to Miami."

"We are," she confirms seriously. "Think about it – sun, sand, hot Latin men. It's perfect and not nearly as sleazy as Vegas."

Rolling my eyes, I give up with a sigh. "Alright. If you can get the rest of the group to agree to go to Miami, I'll go."

Beaming, for once in her life, Ron claps her hands and cheers. "This is going to be awesome! I'll go send out a mass text now!"

 _-Hallway-_

"So, Miami, huh?" Edward says, looking up from the pot that he's stirring.

"Ugh, you heard?" At my question, he just smirks and nods. "It wasn't my idea. Ron strong armed me into it."

"Oh, that Ronald." Edward sighs dramatically. "Forcing you into having fun. What a terrible sister she is!"

"Hey!" I cry, smacking his shoulder playfully. "I know how to have fun! Anyway – you should be on my side. She wants to get strippers."

At this, Edward raises his eyebrows. "You don't say? Will these be male or female strippers? If the latter, I kindly request video evidence."

"Ha!" I laugh sarcastically. "You wish."

"I do," he tells me, inclining his head to pepper kisses against the apple of my cheek. "You smell good."

"Mm," I hum, nuzzling my face against his neck. "So do you."

Leaning away, Edward moves back to stirring his dinner concoction. "Has everyone agreed to it?" At my silence, he clarifies. "Miami."

"Oh," I say, gnawing my lip thoughtfully. "Yeah, Ron texted everyone. It was a unanimous decision."

"Wow – I'm shocked my best friend agreed to it." Edward says casually, stirring the pot literally and figuratively.

"Ron said she seemed excited." I tell him, watching his face closely. His eyebrows raise minutely, but it's nothing – almost a twitch. "She was the first of the group to confirm."

"Surprising." He laughs, gazing at the pot thoughtfully. "But, it _is_ Miami, after all. Who could say no to the beach?"

Swallowing, I force out a chuckle and lean in to kiss his bare arm. "You're right. Who could say no?"

But why do I feel like something is off?

* * *

 **Happy Monday! Sorry about the late update - it's the first day of school and I've been _so_ busy. Anyway, as always, thanks for sticking it out with me so far (: Hope you enjoyed chapter 6! Feedback is appreciated and encouraged!**

 **I'll see you all on Thursday!**

 **xo**


	7. seven

**seven**

* * *

 _The Best Friend_

* * *

The bar – as usual – is so packed that it's overflowing onto the street. This, however, combined with the noise it produces serves as an effective cover for the conversation Victoria and I are about to have.

Gin and tonic in hand, Victoria toasts to "crashing weddings." Smiling at her silliness, I take a deep pull from my dirty martini and shudder as the first sting of alcohol makes its way down my throat.

"So," Victoria starts, setting her glass on the high-top table between us. "Have you put any thought into it?"

"Ugh," I groan. "Yes – I _want_ to… but I'm feeling a little guilty over it."

"Why?" Victoria prompts, eyebrows raised.

"She invited me to her bachelorette party." Victoria's mouth turns down at this. "It was a nice gesture – _really_ nice. I mean, she has _no_ idea how I feel. I've done nothing to indicate that I wish her any ill will."

"Are you going to go?" Victoria asks, face drawn in concern.

"Well, yeah." At Victoria's vehement head shake, I continue. "Edward asked me to go – as a favor! I couldn't say no… he had that… _flirty_ smile and I was just putty in his hands."

"Flirty, huh?" Victoria laughs. "Looks like someone may not be as over you as his lets on."

"Oh, shut up." I laugh. "No way. He's getting _married_. If that doesn't scream 'over it' I don't know what does."

"You never know," Victoria states. "Where is this party taking place?"

"Her sister – Veronica – said it's going to be a weekend in Miami." Victoria's eyebrows just about disappear into her hairline.

"Nice, that should be fun!" I roll my eyes at her and pick up my glass to take a big gulp. Sure, if fun means watching a _little girl_ celebrate her upcoming nuptials to the love of your life. "What about his?"

"His what?" I ask, thinking about _his_ everything.

"His bachelor party," Victoria laughs. "Before you think about it, I don't want to know about his package."

"Noted," I laugh. "It's in Vegas in a few weeks."

"Isn't that a little early?" Eyebrows practically in her hairline, Victoria looks every bit as confused as she sounds.

"Yeah, but it worked better for the group of us to go now."

"The group?" Victoria asks. "Including you?"

Smirking, I nod in confirmation.

"Oh shiiiit," Victoria says, eyes flashing mischievously. "I think I found your opening."

"I think I agree," I laugh.

At this, we clink glasses in celebration of our revelation.

 _-Hallway-_

As far as guilty pleasures go, mint chocolate chip ice cream is at the top of my list. Which is why I'm currently standing in front of an open grocery store freezer debating whether to get the personal or family size.

"Hello stranger." This voice, however familiar, startles me so much I drop my grocery basket in surprise.

"Shit!" Edward exclaims, moving around me to help pick up my scattered items. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you _that_ bad!"

"It's okay," I huff, joining him in gathering my stuff. Basket back in hand, I squat down and start picking up my groceries. Edward smiles and rolls his eyes, replacing a now-bruised bundle of bananas. "Thanks, but you don't have to…" I trail off when he waves his hand at me dismissively.

"Don't start with that. It's my fault so I'm kind of obliged to help. Plus, I get the distinct pleasure of your company." Shaking my head, I give up with a sigh and allow him to keep loading things into my basket.

I'm just putting an onion back in its spot when I realize Edward has his back to me, has stopped moving, and is staring down at something in his hands. "You okay?" I ask, moving to peer over his shoulder.

"Um, yeah!" He starts suddenly, turning to me with pink in his cheeks. "Are… are these yours? I wasn't sure."

At the sight of the box of condoms in his hands, my whole body heats. "Uh, yeah, you can just…" I trail off, motioning for him to hand them over. He does with an embarrassed smile.

Fallen groceries recovered, we both stand up and get ourselves situated. Brushing my hands off on my jeans, I can't help but steal a few furtive glances at him. I must not be very stealthy about it, though, because he catches my eye and smiles.

"What?" He asks, dimples on full display.

"Nothing." I answer quickly, fighting a smile. "It's just… good to see you, yeah?"

"Yeah." Edward repeats, nodding. "Say, how about we go get some coffee and catch up? I was just about to check out... are you still shopping? If you are, I could – I don't know – wait outside for you?"

"No, no, I'm done." I tell him. "Let's go."

Standing side by side in line, Edward nudges me suddenly with his elbow. "What?" I ask, smile tugging at my lips.

Eyes dancing with mirth, Edward leans down to whisper in my ear. "Magnums, huh?"

Face beet red, I shove him playfully and laugh.

Little does he know… those magnums are all part of the plan.

 _-Hallway-_

"My fiancée said you seemed excited?" Edward states, yet it comes out as a question.

"Yes," I clarify. "I _am_ excited. I've never been to Miami!"

"Hm," Edward hums, drumming his fingers against his coffee cup. "So that means you're okay with it?"

"Of course!" I exclaim, internally flinching at how false my voice sounds. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Edward's brow crinkles as he gazes at me. "I don't know…" He trails off, looking like he's trying to figure something out… like he's trying to figure _me_ out. "We just never discussed it."

"Discussed what?"

"Discussed what you think about this... I don't know – how you _feel_ about... you know, me getting married."

Stunned, I realize that this might just be my opening. Yet, as Edward stares at me imploringly, I can't find my voice.

"Are you okay with this?" He asks, eyes pleading.

"Y-yes," my numb lips stutter out. "I-I'm fine, Edward. M-more than fine. I'm happy, ecstatic even."

His deep, green eyes bounce from eye to eye – searching for something in me – and then drop to the table. "Okay." He says, voice now emotionless.

"Okay." I repeat numbly, realizing that once again, I've blown it.

* * *

 **Hi All! Sorry about the late update - last week was the first week of school and my first week as a teacher so I was super busy! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed chapter 7 (: What did you guys think about Edward's line of questioning? Do you think she blew it?**

 **Thanks, as always, for the love and support! Chapter 8 will be up on Monday (:**

 **xo**


	8. eight

**eight**

* * *

 _The Fiancée_

* * *

"You'll text me when you land?" I ask for the thousandth time.

"Of course, baby. Don't worry, I'll be fine." Edward's smile is sweet and excited as he pulls me into a hug. "I love you, silly girl."

"I love you, too." I sigh against his throat, taking one last pull of his scent before he leaves me for the weekend.

"Vegas!" Emmett whoops from behind Edward, wrapping his arm roughly around Jasper's shoulders.

"Hey, you buffoon!" Cries a familiar voice from behind us.

My body immediately tenses as I pull away from Edward's embrace, watching as she saunters over to join the group of men headed to Vegas. Flipping her dark, glossy hair over her shoulder, she smiles widely at Emmett before he envelopes her in a crushing hug.

"You didn't tell me she was going." I state, hands clenched tightly at my sides.

"I didn't?" Edward says curiously. "I thought I told you. She organized the whole trip with Emmett."

"Huh," I say, trying to stay calm while, inside, I'm fuming.

"You ready for your last weekend as a bachelor, Ed?" Speak of the devil and she shall appear. Straight white teeth displayed in a flirtatious smile, she stares up at Edward like he hung the moon.

"As ready as I'll ever be." He answers, wrapping his arm around her narrow shoulders playfully.

"We'll take good care of him." She says, suddenly turning her attention to me. Behind those long lashes, her feline-like eyes tell me what her mouth isn't. _I'll_ take good care of him.

I manage to spit out a soft "I'm sure," before she turns and joins the rest of the group. I watch her shiny hair sway against her back haughtily before turning to Edward with my eyebrows raised.

"What?" He asks, eyes wide with innocence.

"You better be on your best behavior." I warn, eyes motioning to the gorgeous woman standing amongst his groomsmen.

Sighing exasperatedly, Edward hauls me by the arm to a little alcove away from the group. "I'm getting tired of explaining myself to you when I've done nothing wrong."

"I just – " I start, but he cuts me off with a shake of his head.

"She's my best friend." He says with finality. "Nothing more. You have nothing to worry about. I'm marrying you. Not her."

"Okay." I say with a sigh. "I trust you."

Hand in hand, we rejoin the group. Emmett and Jasper – as always – are fawning over her, listening intently to her every word and taking every chance they get to touch her. The pathetic display turns my stomach.

"We ready to go?" She asks, raising her perfectly sculpted brows. "Our flight boards in less than an hour and security seems pretty jammed."

"Yeah," Edward says, squeezing me against his side. "I'll text you when we land, babe."

I nod and allow him to turn me toward him and lift my face to his for a kiss. "Love you," he murmurs against my lips.

Smiling, I rub my nose against his and tell him "love you too."

Grinning like a fool, he swats my backside before picking up his bag and joining his crew. I wait a few minutes, watching them show their tickets to the TSA agent before joining the cattle call that is the security line. Edward is smiling and laughing at something Jasper said, while Emmett is showing her something on his phone.

Satisfied, I turn to leave – trusting that Edward's in good hands for the weekend. It's not until I've exited the building that I turn to get one last look through the window.

I'm startled when I meet her gaze from across the airport. We stare at each other for a moment before she smiles and turns her head, just as Edward leans down to whisper something into her ear. Hand resting casually on her shoulder, Edward wraps his other arm around her in an intimate embrace. My mouth falls open as she throws her head back in a loud laugh and then tucks her face into his neck.

Stomach rolling, I watch as Edward smiles and tilts his face down to kiss her brow. Familiarly, she slides her palm up his stomach and around his neck. From here, even I can see how Edward's face scrunches up with restrained need.

Mind reeling, I jump back from the window. I can't watch this anymore.

* * *

 **Ohhhhh shiiittt! What do you guys think? Does she have reason to worry?**

 **Some of you all have been asking whether or not you'll find out the identity of the female narrators before the end of the story. My answer: nope, you will finally know their identities in the last chapter. (: Hope you all can stick with me in the meantime - I know some of these characters' decisions/actions are driving you all crazy! But no worries, it will be a HEA - I promise!**

 **Until Thursday!**

 **xo**


	9. nine

**nine**

* * *

 _The Best Friend_

* * *

"Are you all set?" Victoria calls out impatiently from the living room.

"Yes!" I shout, struggling to zip my boot.

"Nice," she whistles, now standing in the doorway to my bedroom. "You look sexy as hell."

"Thanks," I mutter, standing and adjusting the waist of my jeans. "Vic, I really don't know about this plan… I'm starting to feel guilty, _again_."

"Hon," Vic scolds, shaking her head at me. "How many times do I have to remind you of that conversation you two had at the coffee shop last week? He _wants_ you to do this."

Sighing, I scrub my hands over my face and nod. "You're right, as always. I just start picturing myself in her place and the guilt sets in."

"Well, imagine if she was in _your_ place. What do you think she'd do?" Victoria fixes me with a pointed stare.

Lip trapped between my teeth, I nod. She's right, again. If roles were reversed, that bitch would be all over Edward. "Okay," I tell Victoria, squaring my shoulders. "Now I'm ready."

"Good," she says with a smile. "Let's go get your man."

 _-Hallway-_

After checking in for the flight, I roll my carry-on bag over to our agreed upon meeting spot – the designated security check point for our flight. From afar, I can tell the gang is all there – including _her_.

As I approach, I can't hold back my smile as I watch Emmett whoop and shout exaggeratedly about Vegas before pulling his signature "neck breaker" move on an unsuspecting Jasper. The two scuffle for a minute – Jasper struggling to unwind Emmett's arm from around his neck – before I decide to cut in.

"Hey, you buffoon!" I call to Emmett, who immediately releases Jasper and wraps me up in one of his bone-crushing hugs.

"Fuck, you smell good, girl!" Emmett murmurs close to my ear before setting me back down on my feet. Smiling at his praise, I pat his arm before turning to kiss Jasper on the cheek in greeting.

"Nice seeing you," Jasper mutters, wrapping one long arm around my waist in a loose hug before stepping back and clearing his throat.

"Likewise," I tell him with a grin. "You guys ready to get this party started?"

"As always!" Riley cries from behind Emmett.

"Riles," Emmett laughs. "You're so fucking quiet I almost forgot you were even there!"

Riley shrugs before nodding his head to something behind me. The four of us all turn in unison and observe as Edward and his lady engage in a quiet argument.

"Trouble in paradise already?" Jasper laughs.

"Who woulda thunk?" Emmett responds suggestively. "I would be shitting my pants too if I realized my man was taking off for a weekend in Vegas with a fox like this one." Emmett playfully nudges me.

I roll my eyes and shove Emmett back. "Leave it to me," I advise them. "I don't want Edward to be in a bad mood going into this – it's his bachelor party, after all."

With as much sway as I can muster, I saunter toward the quarreling pair and plaster a smile on my face. The moment I reach them, _she_ tilts her head in my direction and glares at me. Unaffected by her cold gaze, I turn to address Edward. "You ready for your last weekend as a bachelor, Ed?"

Watching her narrow her eyes out of the corner of my eye, I step closer to Edward and smile my flirtiest smile. This definitely gets the reaction I want – her lips flatten into a thin line and her arms cross haughtily over her chest.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Edward laughs, eyes warming as he wraps an arm around my shoulders and squeezes.

Deciding to put her out of her misery, I tilt my head and address her. "We'll take good care of him." Dropping my lids, I quirk my eyebrow at her in challenge.

Standing there with her fists clenched under her pits, she looks like she's about to explode. With a deep frown marring her pretty, freckled face she mutters out a sharp "I'm sure."

Damage done, I saunter back to the group of groomsmen. Emmett shakes his head once I've reached them and ruffles my hair roughly. "She looks like she wants to kill you," he mutters, nodding toward the now full-on arguing couple.

We watch in silence as the two of them heatedly exchange words before Edward suddenly grasps her thin arm and hauls her around the corner. "Yikes," I laugh, crossing my arms across my chest.

"Some damage control you did there, hottie." Emmett mutters, nudging me with his elbow. "Now he's _definitely_ going to be in a foul mood today."

"Nah," I say, watching as they reemerge from their face-off in the alcove. Smirking, I observe their tightly entwined hands. "They're good."

"How do you do it?" Emmett asks, pinching playfully at my waist.

"Do what?" I laugh, swatting his hands away.

"Fix everything? You're like the Edward whisperer!" Jasper laughs, nudging me with his elbow.

"It's a blessing and a curse." I deadpan, winking at the two of them. Then, noticing the time on my watch, I turn to address the group of us. "We ready to go?" Brows raised for emphasis, I continue. "Our flight boards in less than an hour and security seems pretty jammed."

Cheeks pink, Edward's fiancée narrows her eyes at me infinitesimally before snuggling deeper into Edward's side. "Yeah," Edward says, wrapping his arm around her. "I'll text you when we land, babe."

Nodding, she delicately turns in his arms and tilts her face up for a kiss. Nauseated, I have to look away as they paw at each other lest I lose my lunch on the airport floor.

After a minute or so of whispering and kissing, Edward bounds toward us with his bag in hand. Leading the way, he shows his ticket to the TSA agent at security and joins the long line.

"We'll be lucky to make it out of this mess in time to make our flight." Riley mutters grumpily from behind me.

Rolling his eyes, Emmett throws his arm around my shoulder and guides me through the sectioned off area that makes up the line until we have to stop. In front of us, Edward and Jasper are engaged in what seems to be a hilarious conversation about a mutual friend that drunkenly proposed to a stripper.

"Hey," Emmett murmurs close to my ear, bringing my attention back to him. "So here's the reservation," he motions to the email that he has pulled up on his phone. "I could only get us a suite with two rooms – one has a king and the other has two doubles. There's also a pullout in the living room. I don't really know what your preference is… but I figured since it's his bachelor weekend, we'd give Ed the king and have the rest of us duke it out for the remaining beds."

"That's cool with me," I tell him, watching as Edward peers at us and frowns at the way Emmett's arm is draped over my shoulders. "I can always just share the king with Edward. We've shared a bed plenty of times – side effect of being friends since birth."

Emmett's eyebrows raise into his hairline, but if he has any comments, he holds them back. "Sure, whatever you guys want. You probably should work it out with him first, though. Would hate to assume."

"Yeah, I'll talk to him about it." I tell Emmett reassuringly, patting his arm.

"Talk to who about what?" Edward interrupts, brows low over his eyes.

"Talk to you, fool." I say, ducking out from under Emmett's arm in order to sidle up next to Edward. "You down to share a bed with me? It's a _kiiiing_."

Edward's face scrunches up in thought for a moment before he shrugs. "Yeah, that's cool." Smiling, I wink at Emmett before glancing toward the airport exit. There, standing on the other side of the window, is Edward's fiancée. We lock eyes for a moment, hers wide and searching while mine are narrowed in challenge.

Then, because timing is just so damn perfect, Edward mumbles my name and leans down to speak lowly in my ear. "I'll share a bed with you if you swear you'll keep a lid on the farting." Smiling, I think back to our childhood sleepovers. Things were so simple back then, when all we were concerned about was who would get the top bunk.

"Mmm," I hum teasingly. "As I recall, it was you that had a penchant for Dutch-ovening, you sicko."

Cackling madly, Edward wraps me up in a painful bear-hug. "That's a lie and you know it!" his voice is playful as he wiggles his fingers into the sensitive spot under my ribs.

Howling with involuntary laughter, I wriggle in his arms. "No, no, stop!" I laugh, twisting against him and tucking myself under his chin. "You're such a fucking shit."

Laughing, he leans down and kisses my forehead softly. "Yeah, but you love me."

Throat suddenly dry, I lift my hand and place my palm over his taught stomach. "You know I do," I tell him, feeling his heart pound against my chest as I slide my palm up his torso – savoring the feeling of every dip and curve – and around his neck. Eyes focused on the sparse chest hairs left exposed by his V-neck shirt, I sigh. "So fucking much, Edward."

Edward takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly before squeezing me harder against him. "I love you, too," he murmurs just low enough so that only I can hear. "So fucking much."

Eyes clenched shut against the searing sting of fresh tears, I press a soft kiss against his throat. His hands, which hold me at my shoulder and waist, squeeze into fists at the contact.

"Hate to break up this chummy moment," Emmett grumbles from behind us. "But you two are holding up the line."

"Oh," Edward gasps, jerking away from me suddenly. "Yeah, sorry." Cheeks pink, he picks up his bag and jogs to where the line is stopped ahead of us.

Behind me, Emmett mutters lowly so that only the two of us can hear. "I see what you're doing, hottie. Are you trying to kill him?" Shrugging off the comment, I grab my bag and follow behind Edward.

If that's what it takes, then yes – I am.

* * *

 **Happy almost Friday! Hope you all enjoyed today's chapter (: did you all notice the subtle differences in perception? The Fiancee thought she was projecting calm coolness but it seems Bestie saw right through that. Also - Fiancee thought she saw the worst of it during her window creeping sesh, but clearly she missed that neck kiss. Things are HEATING UP!**

 **Are you team Fiancee or team Bestie? (I know everyone's team Bella - I promise she's one of these ladies!)** **I know you all have a few questions about the length of the story. I'm anticipating about 25-30 chapters.**

 **See you Monday!**

 **xo**


	10. ten

**ten**

* * *

 _The Fiancée_

* * *

Phone in hand, I pace. Wall to wall, it takes me thirteen steps before I have to turn and start in the other direction.

Behind me, Edward's office is in ruins. Not my proudest moment – I'll admit. I don't know what I was expecting to find in here – outside of the obvious case files – but I came up short. There is literally nothing in this office that incriminates him and that makes me feel happy and sad and guilty and angry.

It's been three hours since his plane took off. He should be there by now. He should have texted me by now.

Every vibrate of my phone puts me on edge. And every time it's not a text from Edward the desire to throw my phone against the wall becomes stronger.

I don't know why I didn't turn around and confront them when I saw them all cozy in the airport. It's obvious there is something going on there. If not by their actions, then by the way she was _looking_ at me. It was so… predatory. She's _never_ looked at me like that before and we've been around each other many times.

In my hand, my phone vibrates once – a text. Heart pounding, I stop pacing to check the message. Letting out a sigh of relief, I relax when I see that it's from Edward.

 _ **Landed**_

 _That's it?_ I want to text back. _One word is all I get?_

The desire to throw my phone against the wall is now at its strongest.

My phone vibrates again – a second text.

 _ **I miss you already**_

The tension I didn't realize my body was holding immediately dissipates. Even though I'm as furious as ever, he still has a hold over me. Which makes me even angrier.

Frowning at the mess, I decide to get out of here. All of the scattered papers and upturned furniture is messing with my head.

 _-Hallway-_

I get two steps into the bar before I want to turn back around.

First, it's so noisy. I can barely hear myself think let alone hold a conversation with someone. Not that that's what I'm here for… well, I don't exactly know why I'm here.

Next, I stick out like sore thumb. I'm literally the only girl here that's _not_ dressed like a stripper or a hooker. Not that I'm judging them – it's their bodies to do with what they want – but I swear I'd be freezing in this room if I was in anything less than the skinny jeans and printed pullover that I'm currently wearing.

Standing awkwardly by the door, I'm at a crossroads. Path A leads me to the bar, where I will most likely consume the equivalent of a whole bottle of Pinot Noir. Path B leads me back to our apartment, where I will continue to wallow in self-pity and most likely end up throwing all of Edward's clothes down the stairs… or worse.

Frowning, I make a snap decision and choose path A.

Unsure, I slide into the only unoccupied bar stool. Behind the bar are two bartenders – a rugged looking blonde guy with full sleeve tattoos and an Amazonian girl with a buzzed head. I am immediately intimidated.

"What can I get you, doll?" Buzz-cut Barbie yells to me over the pounding music, flashing me a friendly smile.

"Um… do you have any Pinot Noir?" At my request, she raises her eyebrows and nods before moving to pour me a glass.

"You want to start a tab?" She asks, sliding the glass across the bar to me.

"Um, yeah, here." I tell her, handing over my credit card. Buzz-cut Barbie nods and smiles before moving to set up my tab. While her attention is off me, I take a moment to take in my surroundings. The bar is super dark _and_ painted in dark colors – making it appear even darker than it is. The décor is a mix of industrial and gothic, giving it a real funky vibe. The clientele is a grab bag – a sophisticated older couple sits to the right of me while a group of rowdy college guys occupy the bar space to the left.

"You're all set." She tells me, handing me back my card. "Anything else I can get for you?"

"I'm good for now, thank you." Buzz-cut Barbie just smiles and taps the bar in front of me before moving to serve someone else.

Sighing, I take a gulp from my glass. This is really what my life has come to. Drinking alone at a bar. I don't think I've ever felt this lonely.

Staring down at my blank phone, I sigh again. I should text Edward back. I should ask Veronica to join me. I should throw my phone against the wall.

"Staring at it isn't going to make him call." The voice and unsolicited advice startle me so much I come dangerously close to sloshing my drink onto my phone. Glancing up, I meet the heady gaze of the gorgeous, blonde bartender. His face is drawn in a combination of pity and amusement – full lips stretched into a soft smile and thick brows drawn together in concern.

"Clearly." I state dryly, tossing my phone back into my purse. "Not that it's any of your business…?" I intentionally draw out, fishing for his name even though I know he's _way_ out of my league.

"Garrett," he says, extending his hand for me to shake. His large, warm hand fully envelopes mine, causing goosebumps to erupt all over my body. Shaken by my body's reaction, I numbly recite my name and manage a tentative smile.

"Look, you seem like a nice girl. Can I give you some advice?" Glass in hand – trying to look nonchalant, but most likely failing – I shrug. "Go home, sweetheart. Any decision you make right now, in this mindset, you're going to regret. If you want to come back tomorrow, come back tomorrow. But at least sleep on it."

Frowning, I consider his advice. Edward will be gone all weekend. If I wanted to do something, anything, I could still do it tomorrow.

"Think about it." Garrett says, gesturing to his temple before moving to serve another customer. Sighing deeply, I drain my glass and motion to Buzz-cut Barbie to close my tab.

Tomorrow – if I come back – I'll be ready.

* * *

 **Happy Labor Day, All! I hope you're enjoying the long weekend (:**

 **So, the fiancee is going rogue! What do you all think? Were you expecting this reaction? Do you think she'll revisit the bar? So many possibilities... I'm excited to see all of your responses!**

 **After seeing all of your reactions to going 15+ chapters without know who is who, I have decided on a compromise. Chapter 14, which was and will still be a flashback chapter to clarify the relationship dynamic switch and reset for E and TBF and show how E and TF met, will also reveal the identities of the ladies. Following that chapter, the rest of the story will unfold with you all being in-the-know. Hope this makes you all happy! (:**

 **Until Thursday!**

 **xo**


	11. eleven

**eleven**

* * *

 _The Best Friend_

* * *

"What's wrong?" I ask Edward after we've all settled into our respective rooms.

"What? Nothing." He tells me, giving me a blatant fake smile as he hurriedly locks and stores his phone in his pants pocket.

"She hasn't texted you back, has she?" I ask, feeling guilty yet triumphant at the thought of the plan moving ahead of schedule.

"Um," he says rolling to his side to face me on the bed. "No, she hasn't texted me at all."

At the sight of his disappointed face, I panic and start making excuses for her. "Maybe she's asleep? Or in the shower? Or driving?" Edward shrugs and rolls onto his back.

"Yeah, maybe."

"She'll text you back." I attempt to reassure him, moving across the bed until I'm tucked into his side. Underneath my head, his heart hammers away.

"It's no big deal," he tells me, absentmindedly running his fingers through my hair.

"Mmm," I hum in confirmation, snuggling deeper into our embrace. It's been a while since we've been able to be like this – since before they started dating – and I've missed this. Missed him.

"I've missed you." I tell him, playing with the zipper of his hoodie.

"I've missed you too," he responds, fingers now scratching softly at my scalp.

"What time did Emmett say we're going out?" I ask sleepily, feeling the beginnings of a nap coming on.

"We have dinner reservations at seven thirty." Lolling my head to the side, I eye the fluorescent red numbers of the alarm clock. Two thirty – plenty of time for a nap.

"Mmm, let's take a nap." I tell him, wrapping my arm fully around his middle. "This bed is comfy."

"Mmmkay." He tells me, pulling me tighter against his side.

Totally blissed out, I allow my heavy lids to close and surrender to sleep.

 _-Hallway-_

Blinking back sleep, I wake with a start.

Frowning, I realize that it's five thirty and about time that I start getting ready for the night. Beside me, Edward sleeps soundly. Still dressed in his hoodie and jeans, he looks every bit as uncomfortable and sweaty as I feel.

"Stare too long and you might give me a complex." Edward's sleep raspy voice tells me. Startled, I just about jump off of the bed.

"Fuck!" I whisper shout, pushing his shoulder playfully. "You little shit!"

Smiling sleepily, he rolls onto his stomach and sighs. "Wake me up when you're done destroying the toilet."

Growling in mock anger, I lay a hard smack on his ass as I walk by. "I am not going in there to take a shit!" At my defensiveness, he chuckles into the pillow. "You know, your fascination with bowel movements is concerning."

"Your lack of fascination with bowel movements is concerning," Edward parrots back sleepily. Then, after producing an epic yawn, he waves me off. "Go shave your legs and leave me be."

 _-Hallway-_

"Damn!" Emmett whistles, watching as I exit Edward and I's room. "You clean up nice, hottie."

"Thank you!" I laugh, giving him a playful curtsy.

"Ready to head out?" Edward asks, emerging from the suite's kitchen with a glass of amber liquid in hand. At the sight of me, he looks away sharply and clears his throat.

"Yeah," I tell him, watching as his eyes bounce around the room – attempting to look at anything but me. "Where's Jasper and Riley?"

"Downstairs at the casino." Emmett says, shaking his head. "Told them we'd meet them down there."

"Right," I say, smiling excitedly. "Let's get this show on the road, then."

Emmett jumps up eagerly and heads to the door while Edward sighs and tosses his drink back. Wiping his mouth roughly, Edward sets his glass down on the kitchen counter with an audible plunk. I hurry along, intent on following Emmett out of the door, but am stopped by Edward's hand on my arm.

"You don't want to bring a jacket?" He asks, eyeing my bare arms and legs. "You might get cold at the restaurant."

"Nah," I laugh, shrugging out from under his palm. "I'm good. Thanks, though."

Shrugging, Edward follows me out of the door. With my back to him, I allow myself a satisfied smirk.

 _-Hallway-_

Despite his attempts to hide it, I've caught Edward staring at me intently throughout the night. And now that dinner is over and we're at the club – where the alcohol is flowing – he's almost completely lost all restraint.

I have to give myself a mental high five for the outfit. The dark blue shift dress with silver embroidering has a high neck and leaves my back almost completely bare. It lands at just about mid-thigh, showing off tons of leg. Not only that, the front of it is just narrow enough to give the faintest peeks of side-boob. Paired with some strappy silver wedges, the outfit is practically lethal.

"Hey there," An extremely muscular guy says as he sidles up to the bar next to me. "What is a beautiful girl like you doing in a place like this?"

Although I'm less than interested in the guy, I take a furtive glance over his shoulder to see if Edward is watching. His stormy gaze briefly meets mine from his spot down the bar before he turns back to his conversation with Riley.

"Oh, just trying to get a drink. Doesn't seem like the bartender wants to serve me, though." I pout, leaning into the guy's arm flirtatiously.

"Let me get that for you," he says with a self-satisfied smirk. _Right buddy_ , I want to tell him, _you think buying me a drink constitutes a romp between the sheets_. Swallowing back the nasty comment I want to make, I force out a sweet smile before telling him to get me a vodka soda.

It only takes him a moment until I have a refreshed drink in hand. However, that's all the alone time he gets with me before Emmett's heavy arm falls over my shoulders and drags me away.

"What the hell?" I snap, putting as much annoyance as I can muster behind my glare.

"We all know that you don't want that dude. I'm doing you a favor." He grumbles, rolling his eyes at my act. "Give me that," he tells me, grabbing the drink out of my hand. He sniffs it and frowns before setting it on a nearby table and handing me a fresh one. "That guy could have put something in that." He clarifies before walking away to join Jasper at the bar.

Sighing exasperatedly, I take a sip from my new drink (is it my fifth or sixth?) before staking out my next target. My cheeks warm when I realize that most of them are looking back at me.

"You've got a lot of admirers." Edward murmurs close to my ear.

"Not the one that I want," I say with a shrug before moving to approach a group of guys standing close by. Glancing over my shoulder, I narrow my eyes at Edward as he stares after me with a wrinkle between his brows.

"Hey," one of the guys says, stopping me with a hand to my arm as I pretend to pass by. "My friends and I are having a debate. We were actually wondering if you could help us settle it."

Smirking, I shrug. "Sure, lay it on me."

The group of guys shift anxiously as the guy with his hand on my arm smiles and continues. "We were debating whether you were with that guy over there or not."

Rolling my eyes, I shake my head at them and smile. "No," I laugh. "We're just friends. We're actually here for his bachelor party."

"And he brought you?" Hand-on-arm-guy says, grinning and shaking his head. "You must be pretty deep in the friend zone."

A little peeved at his comment, I shrug off his hand and turn to the cutest guy in the group – a tall blonde with tattoos on his throat and forearms. "Hi," I say, slapping on my flirtiest smile. "Want to dance?"

At my attention, a smile spreads across his face. "Of course," he tells me, grabbing my proffered hand and following me to the dance floor.

Once I've found a spot I like – within sightlines of Edward, of course – I firmly press my back against Blondie's front and start moving my hips. Blondie curses lowly and grasps my hips, pulling my ass more firmly against him.

"I'm Royce," his voice is a low murmur against my ear. Smiling at its pleasantness, I tilt my head back and tell him my name.

"You're so fucking sexy," he groans, hands trailing across my stomach and down my legs.

"Mmm," I hum, twisting in his arms to face him. "So are you."

Heavy-lidded with lust, he pulls my face to his and presses his lips firmly against mine. Eyes closing, I allow myself to just let go and feel. Royce's hands are everywhere – tracing my back, running along my sides, combing through my hair.

"Want to get out of here?" He asks, palming my ass through my dress.

Frowning, I quickly scan the bar for Edward. Coming up short, I decide – fuck it – let's just go. Nodding my affirmation, I allow Royce to pull me through the crowd and toward the exit.

We're almost there when Emmett steps in our path. "Sorry buddy," he says, arms crossed authoritatively across his chest. "She's with us."

Stepping around Royce, I jam my finger into Emmett's chest and growl. "Back the fuck off, Emmett. I'm single and I'll fuck whomever I want."

Emmett, deciding against causing an even bigger scene, shrugs and steps out of our way. Hand in hand, Royce and I pass our group on the way to the exit. Standing amongst them, with his arms crossed over his chest, is Edward. Our eyes briefly meet as we pass, but he quickly drops his and shakes his head before heading back to the bar.

"Mine or yours?" Royce asks, lighting a cigarette once we make it out onto the street.

"Yours," I tell him, smoothing my hair back from my face. "I've got four guys staying in the same room as me – no privacy."

"Cool," Royce says, squinting down at me through a cloud of smoke. "Let's go."

Hand in hand, we walk a few blocks before we reach his hotel. He quickly stubs his cigarette out before ducking through the front entryway. Staring after him, I realize that this might be a big fucking mistake. However, I've spent the past two years watching Edward run through girls like it was his fucking job, so methinks it's time that he gets a dose of his own medicine.

Squaring my shoulders, I confidently follow Royce inside.

* * *

 **Hi All! Happy Thursday (: Hope my fellow Floridians are preparing for this cluster fuck of a** **Hurricane! Apologies in advance if the next couple updates are delayed - not sure what my situation is going to be like.**

 **Anyway - hope you all enjoyed! One side note I want to make - I never promised that these characters are going to be likable. We're all human, we all make mistakes, and we all act selfishly at times. These characters are no exception. IDK if you guys watch Bachelor in Paradise, but Edward's character really reminds me of Dean... I didn't initially write him like this with Dean in mind, but now I just can't stop picturing him as Edward! Who could hate a smile that cute? Not me, that's for sure.**

 **Ok - until Monday!**

 **xo**


	12. twelve

**Hi all - happy Wednesday! Sorry about the delayed posting - I live in Florida... so, yeah... Hurricane Irma and all that. Fortunately, my neighborhood in Miami only had some blown down trees. Unfortunately, that means the power and cable/internet is out. Yup - I'm living in literal hell right now. Luckily, I am able to use my cell as a personal hotspot so that I can post this chapter! Enjoy (:**

 **twelve**

* * *

 _The Fiancée_

* * *

At nearly two thirty a.m., I'm awoken by the incessant buzzing of my phone.

"Hello?" I answer groggily, struggling to sit up in bed.

"Babe," Edward slurs through the receiver. He's drunk. "Did I wake you?"

"No, no. 's okay," I mumble, wiping the drool residue from my chin. "What's up?"

"You never texted me back," Edward whines. "I was worried."

"Sorry," I mumble. "Got caught up in a good book and then I took a nap."

"Oh," Edward mutters, pausing to yawn. "Okay, good. I'm glad you're okay."

"How was your night?" I ask, rubbing at my bleary eyes.

"Fun," Edward laughs. "Riley lost $300 already. He's a shit gambler."

"Clearly," I laugh, imagining Riley's grumpy face posted up by the slot machines. "That must have been a hoot."

"You've no idea," Edward laughs. "We're all off to bed now."

"Mmm," I hum, snuggling back into the blankets. "I'll let you go to sleep, then."

"Okay," Edward sighs. "Night, baby. Love you."

Eyes wide open, I gnaw on my lip before answering. "You too."

 _-Hallway-_

"Will you or will you not go out with me?" I ask, sighing in exasperation.

"I just don't get why you'd _want_ to go out. You never want to go out!" Veronica cries. I can just picture her face screwed up in confusion.

"C'mon, Ronnie. Edward's out of town – in Vegas, no less – I think I ought to have some fun as well." I'm met with silence on the other end before Veronica lets out a heavy sigh.

"Okay, sis. I'll go out with you." Squealing with excitement, I quickly hang up with her to plan my outfit.

Tonight, I'll be back. But as a different person.

 _-Hallway-_

"You can't be serious." Veronica states the moment I open the door for her.

"I assure you, I am." I tell her, adjusting the neckline of my dress.

"If Edward saw you dressed like that…" she says, whistling lowly.

"He'd what? Tell me to change?" I laugh, leaning closer to the mirror as I apply lipstick.

"No," she laughs. "He'd cream his fucking pants."

"How are we related?" I laugh, wrinkling my nose at her crudeness. "You've got the mouth of a sailor."

"And the pussy of a virgin." Veronica adds, winking. "I'm the perfect woman."

"Oh really?" I laugh. "Then remind me why – again – you're single."

"Eat my ass." Veronica grumbles, flipping me the bird before stomping off into the living room.

"How old are you, again?" I call after her, fluffing my hair.

"Old enough to drink all of your liquor if you don't hurry the fuck up!" She calls back, heels clicking as she makes her way to the kitchen. "Shit," she mutters suddenly. "The fuck happened in here?"

Swallowing, I adjust the neckline of my tight, bandage dress before joining my foul-mouthed sister in the hallway. "Oh, just redecorating." I tell her, eyes briefly taking in the mess that is Edward's office.

Scowl firmly in place, Veronica nods solemnly. "Right. Redecorating."

 _-Hallway-_

"Jesus, this place gives me the creeps." Veronica mutters, following me into the same bar from last night.

"It's cool, right?" I say, leading her to the bar. "I found it on Yelp the other day. They have really good reviews."

"You would find a bar on Yelp." Veronica mutters grumpily while sliding onto the barstool next to mine. "I need more alcohol for this."

"Are you ever happy?" I ask her jokingly, toying with the napkin sat in front of me.

"Not when I'm off my pills." Veronica teases, poking fun at the time mom thought she was stealing her Xanax.

"She's back!" Garrett, the gorgeous blonde bartender from yesterday, exclaims. "And she brought a friend."

"Hi, Garrett," I smile, motioning to Veronica. "This is Veronica, my sister."

"What's up?" Garrett says, nodding at Veronica in greeting. "What can I get you, ladies?"

"Two mojitos." Veronica answers, giving Garrett an obvious once-over.

"Coming right up." Garrett says, glancing at me quickly before smiling at Veronica.

"He's pretty hot," Veronica says appreciatively when Garrett's back is turned.

"I guess," I mutter, glancing around the room for a distraction.

"Mhm," Veronica hums. "So, you met him yesterday, huh?" Shrugging, I ignore her question. "And you decided to come back again tonight, except this time wearing a dress that shows off all of the goods."

"What a fantasy you've dreamt up." I remark flippantly, watching as a couple across the bar from us snaps back and forth at each other.

"Right," Veronica laughs. "That's me, off in fantasy land. Please, I know you better than I know myself. You've got the hots for this dude."

"No, I don't. I'm spoken for." I snap at her, crossing my arms across my chest.

"Yeah?" Veronica says tauntingly. "Then where the fuck is your ring, huh?"

Swallowing, I shrug. "I-I left it at home. Didn't want it to get stolen."

"Sure," Veronica laughs. "Keep telling yourself that, but you're not fooling me."

Stumped at what to say to her, I let out a sigh of relief when Garrett returns with our drinks. "Anything else I can get you ladies?"

"Yeah," Veronica says, twirling the little straw in her drink thoughtfully. "You can get my sister here your number."

If Garrett's shocked by her request, he doesn't show it. Instead, he swings his beautiful blue eyes in my direction and quirks his lips up in a smile. Meanwhile, I break into a full-on cold sweat. I don't know if I want to rip Veronica's hair out or run.

"Anything for you, gorgeous." Garrett drawls, grabbing a pen and napkin and unhurriedly scrawling out his number. With a shaking hand, I accept the napkin as he passes it to me, but when I go to withdrawal it, his fingers close over mine. "Text me," he tells me, eyes glittering, "so I have your number, too."

"Okay," I manage to stutter out, smiling as he smirks and saunters away.

"You're welcome," Veronica mutters after taking a mouthful of her drink.

"Ronald," I gasp, shaking my head in disbelief. "I don't know whether to kill you or kiss you."

"How about neither?" Veronica suggests, downing the rest of her drink. "This isn't Game of Thrones. A simple 'thank you' would suffice."

"Thank you," I laugh, twirling my straw through my drink. "You didn't have to do that."

"I know," Veronica quips, smiling at me. "But that's what sisters are for. Now text the boy your number so he can stop checking his phone every five seconds."

"What?" I laugh, cutting my eyes over to where Garrett's standing next to the bald bartender from yesterday. "He's not checking his phone."

"He _was_." Veronica sasses. "But he put it away when he saw me looking."

"You are so creepy," I tell her, taking out my phone and programming his number under 'G.' Biting my lip, I tap out a simple text – my name with a smile emoji. With a deep breath, I hit send.

"God, you're acting like you just pushed a button that detonates an atomic bomb or something." Veronica laughs, nudging me with her shoulder. "It's just flirting, babe. It doesn't mean you have to do anything."

"I know," I sigh. "I'm just upset… because I'm not more upset. Does that make sense?"

Nodding solemnly, Veronica clinks her glass against mine.

"Let's get fucking wasted tonight and order pizza." Veronica says, motioning to Garrett to get us another round.

"I like the sound of that," I tell her, smiling at Garrett as he picks up my empty glass. "As long as we get garlic knots."

"Fucking garlic knots!" Veronica moans, fanning her face exaggeratedly. "You know exactly what to say to get me all riled up."

Fresh drinks in hand, we clink glasses to hot bartenders and garlic knots.

* * *

 **So, TF is upset that she's not more upset... What do you guys think?**

 **See you tomorrow with chapter 13 (hopefully)! Get excited - the big reveal is coming _soon!_**

 **xo**


	13. thirteen

**thirteen**

* * *

 _The Best Friend_

* * *

With a throbbing head and a furry tongue, I wake with a start. Groaning, I roll over and get a face-full of chest hair.

"Fuck!" I gasp, sitting up and looking frantically around the room. The furniture and the naked man in bed next to me is all wrong.

Stumbling, I untangle myself from the sheets and hurriedly throw on my clothes. Shoes and purse in hand, I creep out of the room and into the hallway. Peering both ways, I try to decipher where the elevator might be. Hearing a faint 'ding' off to the right, I head in that direction.

I only get turned around two times before I finally arrive at the shiny gold doors of the elevator. Brimming with impatience, I depress the down the button a few times before taking a moment to assess my appearance in the mirrored doors.

"Fuck!" I exclaim, wiping at the melted mascara that's gathered under my eyes. "Serves me fucking right," I mutter to myself as the elevator doors open to reveal a family of four sporting bathing suits and ball caps.

"Morning," I mutter, crossing my arms over my chest and wishing I could sink through the wall. They all stare at me shamelessly, no doubt assuming I'm some sort of working girl.

The moment the doors open at the lobby, they pour out like the place is on fire. Sighing, I rub my face and follow them out. "I deserved that," I tell myself, making my way out of the front doors and onto the street.

Scowl firmly in place, I manage to score a cab back to our hotel with little-to-no problem. However, the ride back is not what I'd call pleasant. I have to stop the cabbie several times so that I can lean my head out of the door to throw up.

Rumpled and queasy, I'm more than happy when we pull up in front of my hotel. "Keep the change," I manage to grunt out before throwing myself out onto the safety of the ground and dragging my ass to the elevator.

The moment I slide my key card into the slot, I know I'm in for it. The door swings open and I'm greeted by the sight of a shirtless Emmett leaning against the doorjamb.

"Well, well, well… look who it is." Emmett smirks, taking in my dastardly state. "You look like you've seen better days."

"I need a coffee and a shower." I grumble, pushing past him and into the suite.

"Yeah you do," Emmett mutters, fanning his face and pushing air through his teeth. "You smell like a brewery."

"Yeah, well, I have vomit in my hair so that's probably what you're smelling. If you will excuse me…" I mutter, ducking into Edward and I's shared room. Spotting him sprawled out in the middle of the bed, I creep as quietly as I can to my suitcase and grab some clean clothes before padding into the bathroom.

Under the spray of the shower, I rinse away last night's grime, feeling the sharp sting of regret taking its place. I don't know why I did that. Scrubbing angrily at my skin, I turn the water to as hot as it goes and tilt my face into the burning spray.

I deserve this.

 _-Hallway-_

"I hope you left enough hot water for the rest of us." Emmett remarks as I emerge from Edward and I's room damp, sore, and pink.

"Hotels never run out of hot water." I tell him tiredly, grabbing the steaming cup of coffee from his outstretched hand. "Thank you," I sigh after forcing two scalding gulps down my throat.

"You two were pretty beat up last night." Emmett says after a moment of comfortable silence.

"Yeah," I sigh. "Not exactly my best night."

"Mm," Emmett hums, flicking his eyes over to Edward and I's closed bedroom door. "His either."

Setting my steaming cup down, I wrinkle my brow at Emmett curiously. "What did he do?"

"Well, for starters he punched a wall." He says, giving me a pointed look. "And then proceeded to get so shit-housed we had to practically carry him out."

"Fuck," I sigh, dropping my head into my hands. "Why did he punch a wall?"

"I think we both know the answer to that question." Emmett says calmly.

"Fuck," I repeat, tearing my fingers through my wet hair.

"Can't you see what you're doing to him, hottie?" Emmett asks, moving to sit next to me on the couch.

"No," I mutter, grabbing fistfuls of hair at the scalp and tugging.

"You're killing him." Emmett sighs, rubbing his hand soothingly against my back.

"He's killing me." I mutter, massaging my temples. "He's getting married, Em."

Emmett nods sadly, tugging me until I fall into his side. "He's pretty fucked up right now."

"Not enough to do something about it." I mutter angrily. "He's still going to marry her. It's a fucking joke."

"I know you don't want to hear this, but he _does_ love her." At his words, my stomach lurches.

"I love him." I admit, choking back tears. "Does that change anything?"

"Everything." Emmett murmurs, rubbing my shoulder soothingly as a single tear trails down my cheek. "It changes everything."

"What's going on here?" We both look up sharply as Edward simpers in the doorway of our room.

"Nothing, bro." Emmett says, dropping his arm and sliding away from me. "She just isn't feeling well."

"Hm," Edward hums haughtily. "Nothing a convict covered in tattoos can't fix. Why don't you go find him, see if he can help you out?" He suggests sarcastically before pushing off the doorjamb and strolling into the kitchen.

"I'll just…" Emmett mutters, jabbing his thumb at the other room before making a swift exit.

"What the hell is your problem?" I ask Edward, getting up from the couch and following him into the kitchen. "Why are you acting like this?"

"Just…" Edward starts, back tensing as I approach.

"Just what?" I ask, watching as he struggles to pour himself coffee with his battered hand. Sighing, I shove him out of the way so that I can pour it for him.

"I don't know." He sighs after I've doctored his coffee up for him. "I'm hungover as shit and in a foul mood."

"So I've gathered," I say, grasping his hurt hand in mine. "Why'd you do this?"

Frowning, he looks at a spot just above my head. "I was upset."

"No shit." I mutter, dropping his hand in order to drag mine through my hair. "Upset about what?"

"You know what." Edward states before taking a huge swallow of coffee.

"No," I tell him, raising my eyebrows at him. "I don't. Don't just assume I know what you're thinking, Ed. If something's bothering you, tell me."

"You're relentless." Edward sighs, shaking his head. "I was upset because I don't like seeing you like that."

"Like what?" I probe, watching as Edward nervously drags his good hand through his hair. Seeing that he's hurting just as much as I am, I want nothing more than to wrap him up in my arms. But I don't. I _can't._ Not right now, at least.

"I don't know," he sighs, eyes bouncing from me to the coffee maker to the fridge to the floor and then back to me. "With that guy."

"You were jealous?" I ask, although it comes out more like a statement. "And you punched a wall?"

"I guess," Edward shrugs, staring into his coffee cup now.

"You're getting married, Ed." I remind him.

"I know, but – " I hold my hand up to stop him, shaking my head when he opens his mouth to continue.

"You need to figure out what you want." I tell him, giving him a pointed look. "I know what I want. I've known for two years. Breaking up with you is the biggest regret of my life, but it's something I can live with if this," I say, motioning between the two of us, "is not what you want." At his pained stare, I continue. "But you're going to have to tell me… Preferably before you get married."

At that, I give him a sad smile before turning and heading into our shared room. I need a nap… and he needs some time to think.

* * *

 **She finally told him! What do you guys think? Edward's got some decisions to make... Who will he choose? And will TF make the decision for him? We'll see in 2 chapters! Next up, the reveal (: Anyone want to make bets on who is who? (;**

 **See you guys Monday!**

 **xo**


	14. fourteen

**Happy early posting - I couldn't resist! Enjoy (:**

 **fourteen**

* * *

 _The Fiancée_

* * *

 **Eight Months Ago**

"Are we really going to this thing?" Veronica asks, mouth turned down into a deep frown as she struggles to slide her foot into her pump.

"Mom asked us to join them. Peter Whitlock is one of dad's most important clients. Plus, they invited us – _all_ of us." Veronica's scowl deepens at my words.

"But _why_? We don't even fucking _know_ their son. Who cares if he's getting married?" Eyes rolling skyward, I follow her into the bathroom.

"Come on, Ron. It's a _wedding_! Weddings are fun!" At my chirpy response, Veronica lets out a snort.

"Says the person who has been planning her wedding since she was six. You're too fucking much, sis." Veronica shakes her head at me before turning to the mirror. Assessing her reflection, Veronica fluffs her dark hair before selecting a tube of lipstick and applying it generously.

"Don't shame me for being a romantic." I chide, grabbing the tube of lipstick from her hand and applying it on myself. "Every girl dreams about her wedding at some point in life. It's so magical – the big dress, the flowers, the dancing…"

"Signing your life away to one fucking guy for the rest of your life." Veronica cuts in, eyebrows raised in challenge. "Sure, fucking sign me up. Sounds _so_ romantic."

"You know," I tell her, turning to look her directly in the eyes in challenge. "I honestly wonder sometimes how we're related. You are quite possibly the most negative person I've ever met."

"Second only to mom." Veronica adds, nudging me playfully before disappearing into the hallway.

 _-Hallway-_

" _Great!_ A catholic church. Looks like we're going to get a fucking work out while being bored to death today." Veronica drones as we pull up to the ceremony venue.

"Veronica!" Mom snaps, turning to face her from the front seat of the car. "I don't need to remind you again to be on your best behavior tonight, do I?"

"No, mother." Veronica's face is a mask of defeat. However, I know her well enough to recognize the mischief dancing in her eyes.

"Cut it out," I grumble to her after we've exited the car. "This is an important night for dad."

"Dad?" Veronica laughs. "Is he getting married too?"

"Ugh," I groan knocking her with my shoulder. "I hate you."

"No, you don't," Veronica laughs. "Relax, _angel._ I'm not going to embarrass dad. I'm just going to enjoy myself. Someone once told me weddings are _magical_."

Scowling, I follow her laughing form into the church.

It seems everyone is arriving at once, as there is a pretty large crowd gathered in the church's entrance. The moment we step inside, mom plasters on her signature networking smile – one that I've seen so many times before to know that it's fake.

"Angel, come here." Mom says, motioning for me to follow her. Recognizing the look on her face, I school mine into the sweet, obedient, smiling daughter mask that I reserve for when I meet my father's important clients. "Peter, Katherine, I'd like to introduce you to my youngest daughter. Angel – this is Peter and Katherine Whitlock."

"Pleased to meet you," I tell them, smiling my most gracious smile. "Congratulations – you must be so happy for your son!"

Smiling kindly, Katherine clasps my hand between both of hers. "Overwhelmingly so. Jasper has truly found his match in Alice. We are so happy to have her join our family."

"How sweet," mom coos, wrapping her arm around me affectionately. "We can only hope for the same for both of our girls." Beside me, Veronica coughs discreetly to hide her scoff.

"Oh, with the looks you two have, you should have no problem!" Katherine smiles knowingly. "Find me later and I'll introduce you two to some of Jasper's single friends. Quite handsome, those boys are."

"Gag me," Veronica mutters lowly as Katherine flutters away. Smiling, I elbow her in the ribs playfully before following our parents to our seats.

 _-Hallway-_

" _Fuck me,_ " Veronica mutters, watching appreciatively as the groomsmen make their way down the aisle. "Maybe I _will_ take Kate up on that offer. Did Jasper scout his friends from a fucking modeling agency?"

"Language." Mom hisses beside me, leaning forward to shoot Veronica a pointed look. "We're in a church, Veronica."

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." Veronica mumbles rebelliously. " _Fuuuuck_ , look at that one! The fucking ass on him, sheesh. Even _you_ have to admit that's a nice ass, sis, fucking _look_ at it!"

"I'm _looking,_ Ron!" I hiss laughingly, tearing my eyes away from my crude sister to watch said rear end make its way down the aisle. Word choice aside, Veronica does have a point. High and round, the view is nothing short of breathtaking. Clad in the wedding mandated, form-hugging navy suit, the owner said remarkable behind joins the rest of the groomsmen at the altar. From his positioning, I realize that he must be the best man.

Transfixed, I survey his form, taking in his wavy reddish-brown hair, angular face, and trim figure. He is as close to perfection as I've ever seen.

"Mmm," Mom hums approvingly beside me. "Handsome, right?"

"Uh huh," I nod, watching him as he observes the procession of bridesmaids. His face maintains a mask of neutrality, that is, until it's the maid of honor's turn. Frowning, my eyes volley between his now smiling face – complete with dimples – and hers.

The bridesmaid attire, which had looked _cute_ on the other girls, makes her look absolutely ethereal. Like the other girls, she wears her long, dark hair in a loose braid with sprigs of baby's breath tucked here and there. However, unlike the other girls, her flowers resemble somewhat of a halo. On top of that, the gauzy, baby blue bridesmaid gown only adds to the whimsical getup.

Mood effectively ruined, I slump unhappily into the pew. It looks like I won't be having much fun at this wedding after all.

 _-Hallway-_

"No, _I insist_ ," Katherine says, wide smile made even wider by countless glasses of champagne. "The boys are _great!_ You're just going to _love_ them – I promise!"

"Come on, sis." Veronica laughs. "Think about that _ass_ …"

"What ass?" Katherine hiccups. "Don't tell me the boys have been treating you unkindly! Which one was it? Emmett? I will _so_ have _his_ ass for this!"

"No, no, no!" I insist, smiling apologetically. "Everyone has been great! My sister was just being crude."

Smirking, Katherine wraps her arm around my shoulders conspiratorially. "Which one do you like? Tell me and I'll take you to him first."

"No, it's okay, it's nothing!" I scramble nervously, shooting Veronica a warning glare when she opens her mouth to speak. Shaking her head, Veronica betrays me.

"She likes the best man." Veronica shoots me a wicked smile after she dishes to Katherine. "She thinks he has a nice ass."

"No, no," I whine. "No, I don't. She's just trying to embarrass me. I know he's not available."

"Edward? Not available?" Katherine mutters curiously. "Where did you hear that?"

"I didn't… I just saw how he was with the maid of honor and assumed they were together." At my response, Katherine scoffs.

"Oh, well, you assumed wrong!" Her smile is wide as she begins to tow me behind her. "She's just his best friend. They dated briefly a few years back – nothing serious – and broke up amicably. Better off friends, they said. Here we are."

Heart in my throat, I manage to keep myself upright as we reach our destination. Flanked by groomsmen and bridesmaids alike, Edward leans casually against the bar. Mouth dry, I observe his facial features up close. Hair darkened with sweat and green eyes dancing with amusement, he is so beautiful it hurts.

"Edward," Katherine sings, my wrist trapped in her vice-like grip. "I want to introduce you to someone special."

"Oh?" Edward steps forward out of the group, green eyes flashing to me briefly before locking on Katherine's smiling face. "Special? Tell me more."

"This," Katherine pauses, pulling me forward to stand beside her. "Spectacular creature is _Angela Webber_ , the daughter of one of Pete's oldest colleagues. Angela, this is Edward Cullen – my son's best friend and best man."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Angela." Edward murmurs, hand gently clasping mine. "Spectacular, indeed." He tells Katherine after releasing me. Heart hammering in my chest, I duck my head and smile.

"Thank you." I murmur, heat flooding my cheeks at his compliment.

"It's the truth." Edward insists, eyes roving my face appreciatively. "Thank you, Kate, for introducing us."

"Oh, you're very welcome!" Katherine laughs, throwing me a wink before leaving the two of us.

"Are you here alone?" Edward asks after a pause. Lashes low over his pale green eyes, he watches me gnaw my bottom lip.

"Um, no. I'm here with my parents and sister." After a brief pause, I continue. "And you? Did you bring a date?"

"No," he snorts. "No date. But, like you, my dad and stepmom are here."

"Oh," I mutter, feeling my stomach twist and drop at the sight of his blatant appreciative looks. "That's, uh, that's cool."

"Mmm," he hums, face pensive as he looks me over. "Want to dance?"

Lip trapped between my teeth, I don't even think about his question before nodding my head in agreement. Full-on grinning now, Edward extends his hand for me to take and leads me out onto the dance floor. Shaking with nerves, I wrap my arms around him and rest my head on his chest.

"So," Edward starts, "how long have you known the Whitlocks?"

"Um," I mumble, feeling my cheeks heat, "I've actually never met them before tonight. And, um, how about you?"

"Oh, I've known Jasper forever. We met freshman year of high school."

"Childhood friends?" I say, feeling myself relax the longer that I'm in his presence. "That's so sweet. How do you like his wife?"

"Alice?" Edward laughs, stopping to twirl and dip me. "She's great. A little pushy, but funny as hell."

"Hm, she sounds like my sister."

We fall into a comfortable silence, swaying gently to the music. Edward's hand, which is positioned respectfully on my waist, slowly creeps up my side, tickling the ends of my hair, before sliding back down.

"Everyone's staring," Edward says after a beat, smiling indulgently.

"What?" I start, sharply looking around the room. He's right, there are quite a few people staring in our direction. "Why?"

"Hmm," Edward hums, tugging me close. At our proximity, my heart thunders in my chest. "They must be jealous."

"I don't know," I laugh self-consciously. "We're just dancing…"

Smirking confidently, Edward drops me into a dramatic dip. "Yes, but I happen to be dancing with the most beautiful girl in the room."

Cheeks faming, I tuck my head under his chin in embarrassment. "Thank you," I giggle, "but that's far from the truth."

"Don't put yourself down," Edward lightly scolds. "You are absolutely radiant."

Flushing as pink as my dress, I shake my head and smile. "You're not so bad yourself."

Edward flashes me an indulgent smile, lashes low over his deep, green eyes. In an instant, it feels like someone has turned up the heat. It sounds so cliché, but the energy between us almost crackles with the intensity of our attraction. As if drawn together like magnets, our heads inch closer together.

Unfortunately, our moment is short-lived.

"Um, Ed?" A low, throaty voice says from over my shoulder. Blinking away the lust, Edward jerks his head away with a guilty smile.

"What's up?" Edward murmurs, dropping his arms and turning to face our intruder. Frowning, I pivot to face them as well. I can't say that I'm surprised when I realize that it's the maid of honor.

"I'm sorry to interrupt… but it's Jasper…" she says, biting her lip and flashing us an apologetic smile.

"Is he ok?" Edward is instantly concerned. I melt a little at the genuine worry he feels for his friend.

"Hm, well, currently he's kissing the toilet… so you tell me." Eyebrows raised, she shakes her head and lets out an exasperated chuckle.

"Fuck!" Edward sighs, turning to face me with his brow wrinkled apologetically. "I'm sorry, Angela. I have to go."

"That's alright," I tell him reassuringly. "You're the best man. Duty calls."

Shaking his head, Edward dips down to place a soft kiss on my cheek. "I'll get your number from Kate."

"Okay," I smile, biting my lip with restrained excitement. Smirking, Edward chuckles and shakes his head once again before turning and bounding toward the men's restroom.

"Sorry about that," the maid of honor says after a beat. I nearly jump in surprise. She was so quiet during Edward and I's exchange that I almost forgot she was standing there.

"Oh, um, don't worry about it."

Face pulled into a wide, charming smile that gives me vibes of Cameron Diaz, she extends her hand to me. "I'm Bella – Edward's best friend."

"Angela," I smile, shaking her outstretched hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Bella murmurs. Up close, she's even more beautiful than I had originally thought. With chestnut brown hair, coffee-colored feline-like eyes, high cheekbones, a roman nose, full, heart-shaped lips, and a cleft chin, she is the exotic variety of beauty. I am instantly intimidated.

"I better," I start, motioning over my shoulder with a timid smile. "My family is probably wondering where I am."

"No worries," Bella says, flashing me that charming smile once again. "It was nice meeting you, Angela." Returning her smile, I pivot and head back to my table.

That was… interesting?

* * *

 **So, the cat is out of the bag! What do you guys think? You happy? Sad? Mad? Regardless, t** **hanks for the continued support! We'll have another flashback chapter and then we'll jump back to present time (:**

 **See you Monday (for real this time lol)**

 **xo**


	15. fifteen

**Hi All - happy Monday! Before you get confused (even more so than you already are), Bella's mom and Edward's mom are best friends. Which is why Bella calls Edward's parents Aunt and Uncle. They aren't related! Enjoy!**

 **fifteen**

* * *

 _The Best Friend_

* * *

 **20 Years Ago**

"Mom, why are we here?" I ask, clutching desperately at my mother's hand as she drags me through the hospital's parking lot.

"Later, Isabella, please," mom snaps. Frowning, I watch as her normally smiling face creases in worry.

Mom stops at the front desk and frantically speaks with the person behind it. It feels like forever, but it must have been only a few minutes, before we're allowed to pass through. Hand-in-hand, we ride the elevator to the third floor.

"Where are we going, mom?" The question bursts from my lips without my permission. Stomach unsettled, I'm towed behind mom without an explanation. Ducking through hallways, we finally stop in front of a closed door. Panting, mom grasps my hand in hers and squats down to my level.

"Baby," mom sighs, brushing my wild hair back. "Remember when I told you Aunt Lizzy is sick?"

"Yes?" I mumble, the mention of Aunt Lizzy making me feel sick to my stomach.

"Well… her doctors gave her all kinds of medicine… and it helped… but Aunt Lizzy is so tired and _sick_ …" Bottom lip trembling, I nod in understanding. "God spoke to her," Mom tells me reassuringly. "And he said that he has a special job for her – in Heaven. He needs her more than we do, baby."

Tears streaming down my face, I shake my head in denial. "No, he doesn't," I sniffle. "Ed needs her more – who is gonna be his mommy? It's not fair for God to take her away from him."

"I know," mom says, wiping away my tears. "But Ed has Uncle Carl, and us. We'll take care of him so that Aunt Lizzy can be in peace."

"Does she hurt?" I ask mom, watching cracks appear in her mask of strength. Nodding, she hurriedly wipes at the lone tear that trails down her face.

"Yes, baby girl. She's hurting."

"Okay," I tell her. "She can help God – only if he makes her feel better."

"He will," mom sighs, kissing my forehead before standing up. "Come on, let's go say goodbye. Aunt Lizzy leaves for Heaven tonight."

Wiping the tears from my face and snot from my nose, I follow mom into the hospital room. The smell – it seems – is even worse in here. With wires and tubes poking out everywhere, Aunt Lizzy looks like something out of a scary movie. Seemingly unaffected by the sight, Edward sleeps soundly on the bed beside her.

"Come here, Bellie." Uncle Carl says, motioning for me to join him on the chair by Aunt Lizzy's bed. Frowning, I look up at mom for approval. Tears now flowing freely, mom nods and tucks a stray lock of hair behind my ear.

"Is she sleeping?" I ask Uncle Carl as he picks me up effortlessly and plunks me down on his knee.

"Yes," Uncle Carl murmurs, grabbing Aunt Lizzy's hand from its spot on the bed and dragging it closer for me to hold. As our fingers touch, Aunt Lizzy's eyes flutter behind her closed lids.

"Is she still hurting?" At my question, Uncle Carl gasps out a stuttering breath.

"No, Bellie. She's not hurting anymore."

Playing with Aunt Lizzy's fingers, I gnaw at my lip before asking my final question. "She's going to Heaven tonight?"

"Yes," Uncle Carl whispers brokenly. Frowning, I twist in Uncle Carl's lap and throw my arms around him. Sighing, Uncle Carl wraps me up in a hug.

"I'll take care of you and Ed," I tell Uncle Carl. Sniffling, Uncle Carl nods and brushes my hair away from my face lovingly.

"Thank you, Bellie." Smiling, I turn back to Aunt Lizzy. On the other side of the hospital bed, mom stands over her, holding tightly to Aunt Lizzy's other hand. Ducking down, mom whispers something into Aunt Lizzy's ear, kisses her pale cheek, and straightens. Wiping her face, mom smiles sadly at me and Uncle Carl.

"It's time to go, baby." Mom's voice cracks halfway through. Nodding, I wiggle out of Uncle Carl's lap and turn to face him.

"Can I kiss her bye?" I ask him, eyes getting wetter by the second.

Face creased with emotion, Uncle Carl nods and helps me onto the bed. Dodging the tubes and wires, I crawl up beside Aunt Lizzy and lean down to kiss her cheek – right over where a dimple would be if she was smiling.

"I love you," I tell Aunt Lizzy, stroking her knotted hair away from her face. "I'll take care of Ed and Uncle Carl. I pinky promise." And then, as if she could hear me, the corners of her lips curl up slightly in a gentle smile.

 _-Hallway-_

 **Ten Years Ago**

"Jane Saunders likes you." I tell Edward, smirking at his confused expression.

"She does? But we've never even spoken to each other."

"Yup," I shrug. "She thinks you're hot. A lot of girls do."

" _Really?_ " Edward repeats, dimples popping in his cheeks as he smiles. "Do _you_?"

Biting my lip, I shrug. "You're okay."

"Thanks," Edward rolls his eyes, tucking back into his math homework.

After a minute or so of me staring at him and him pretending like he's working through our assigned equations, I break. "What would you do if she asks you out?"

"If _she_ asks _me_ out?" He laughs, shaking his head. "I don't think it works like that."

"It can," I nod. "She said she might."

Frowning, Edward shrugs. "I don't know. I'd say no?"

"You don't like her?" I probe.

"I don't know her."

"You don't think she's pretty?" My question causes him to run his fingers through his hair nervously.

"I mean, yeah? But, she's no…" he trails off, eyes telling me what his mouth won't. _She's no you._

Smirking internally, I lay back on his bed and stretch my arms over my head. He lets out a muffled groan at the large strip of bare midriff this action exposes. The attention, as always, is intoxicating.

"Can I see that when you're done?" I ask, nodding to his math homework.

"What? You're not copying off of Tyler anymore?" His smile does nothing to hide his bitter jealousy. Tyler and I have been hanging out for a few weeks, which has been killing Edward. He always gets this way when I'm seeing someone that isn't him.

"I've never copied off Tyler. He's not known for his academic prowess and you know this."

Edward scowls but passes me his homework nevertheless. "I don't know what you see in that guy."

"He's the varsity quarterback," I shrug.

"And?"

"And what? He knows how to _score_."

"You're like a guy." He mumbles, shaking his head. "All you care about is sex."

"Don't tell me you don't care about sex." I laugh, nudging his thigh with my foot. "You could have literally any girl you want."

"Hah," Edward laughs sarcastically. "Not the one that I really want." Edward grumbles, getting up from the bed haughtily.

"Hey, where are you going?" I sit up, watching him sulk to his bedroom door.

"I'm getting something to eat from downstairs." With his back to me, his shoulders rise and fall with his deep sigh. "Do you want anything?"

"No, I'm fine." I tell him, watching him duck out of the door with his shoulders slumped in defeat. Instantly filled with guilt, I drop my head into my hands and fist my hair at the roots. What the hell am I doing to him? He's my best friend.

Resigned, I decide to turn over a new leaf. I'm going to stop playing with him and leading him on. He's not going to be able to move on unless I let him go. That's what a good friend would do. It's about time I start acting like one.

 _-Hallway-_

 **Two Years Ago**

Effortlessly, my quarter bounces off of the table and lands with a satisfying plunk into Edward's cup.

"Drink up, bitch!" I cry, slapping Alice's outstretched hand in a high-five. "My aim is spec-fucking-tacular!"

"Fuck you," Edward burps after chugging his cup of beer. "You're going to regret that when it's my turn."

"All talk," Alice says flippantly. "You have shit aim, Ed."

"Don't start with me, Al." Edward grumbles, refilling his cup from the pitcher on our table. "Or I'll target you instead."

"I'm so scared!" Alice says, throwing her hands up in mock fright.

"Okay, okay!" I laugh, "Enough! Jasper, let's go! It's your turn, now."

Shaking his head at our antics, Jasper accepts the proffered quarter. Narrowing his eyes in concentration, he aims, bounces, and sinks it right in Edward's cup.

Scowling, Edward chugs his drink while flipping us all off. "I'm going to be trashed and you all will be to blame," he mutters, belching loudly.

Countless beers later, the group of us disperse and head our separate ways. As usual, Edward joins me on my short walk home. Drunken late-night grilled cheese is a Friday night ritual we stick to religiously.

As my building's elevator ascends, Edward sways and leans heavily against the mirrored wall. Sucking at his upper lip thoughtfully, he surveys me slowly. "Do you think she's happy?"

"Who?" I murmur, watching the numbers light up on the control panel as we climb.

"Mom," Edward murmurs, face drawn thoughtfully.

"I," I start, but stop, a wave of sadness washing over me. "I hope so."

"Me too." Edward sighs, following me out of the elevator when it stops on my floor. "It's been 18 years, you know…"

"Yeah," I sigh, grasping his hand to steady him as we stumble down the hallway. "It feels like it was just yesterday."

"It does," Edward sighs, leaning heavily against the wall when we reach my door. Sighing again, Edward grabs my arm and puts a stop to the scrambling search for my keys in my bag. "Bella," my name slips from his lips like a prayer.

Frowning, I flip my hand over to hold his forearm. "What's wrong, Ed?"

Sighing again, Edward yanks his arm away and grips his hair in frustration. "You don't get it." Brows drawn in confusion, I grasp his wrists and pull his hands free.

"What do you mean, Ed?"

Lips pursed, Edward draws in a deep breath, holds it, and then exhales slowly. "I think I've waited long enough." I don't have much time to process what he's saying before he pushes off the wall and steps right up to me. Breathing shallowly, Edward traces my cheek reverently – fingers feather-light.

"What are you doing?" I try to say, but the words are swallowed up by Edward's lips as they consume me. Instantly, my skin tightens and prickles into goosebumps. My hands, which had come up to grasp Edward's shoulders in alarm, curl instinctively deeper into his skin as my stomach twists and drops in pleasure.

Gasping, he pulls away. "Are you okay?" He asks, tongue poking out to wet his full bottom lip.

Unsure, I open my mouth to speak, but stop. Am I okay? I don't fucking know. My best friend just kissed me… and it was the best kiss I've ever had in my entire life.

Instead of answering his question, I tell him the one thing that I _am_ sure about. "Again." I command, dragging him toward me by his shoulders. Brows raised in surprise, Edward ducks his head and presses his lips to mine again. Hungrily, I respond.

We're all hands and lips and knocking teeth and twisting tongues. Desperately, we consume each other. His years of restrained feelings spill over, lighting me with a newfound, all-consuming passion.

"Fuck," Edward grunts, picking me up by my ass and pressing me into my door. "If we don't go inside now…" He starts, lowering his head and capturing my mouth again.

"Mmmm," I moan, pressing my groin against the bulge in his jeans. "What would you do to me, Ed?" What am I doing? Why am I saying these things? It feels too good, too right, but it shouldn't.

"Hmmm," he murmurs thoughtfully, kissing a burning trail across my collarbone. "I'd lift up this skirt," he starts, sucking a tender spot behind my ear. "And pull off those panties," he kisses my chin next. "And take you against the door."

"Right here?" I moan. "In the hallway?" Oh, god, I shouldn't be so turned on but I am. I want him to do it. Right here, right now.

"Yes," Edward hisses, pressing our lower halves together tightly. "Now find your keys."

Our Friday night ritual is transformed.

 _-Hallway-_

 **Two Weeks Later**

"So…" Edward trails off, fingers combing through my hair lazily. "Is this… _thing_ we have ever going to see the light of day?"

"Thing?" I ask, turning my face to press a kiss to his sternum. "What thing?" I purposely gloss things over, digging my fingers into Edward's sensitive ribs playfully. He jerks away violently and shakes his head with a smile.

"Come on," Edward laughs. "Don't play dumb. I'm being serious right now. Are we ever going to go public?"

"Do you _want_ to go public?" I counter his question with one of my own. Do I? Don't I? This thing we have is so new and so good. I don't want to do anything to ruin it, ruin us. He's too important. Rolling his eyes, Edward flips me onto my back and pins me down with his lithe body.

"Of course, I want to go public." His eyes are serious as he stares down at me. "There's nothing I want more than to stake my claim on your fine ass."

"You're so possessive," I comment, leaning up to press a kiss to his throat. His eyes instantly roll back – neck kisses are his thing _._ I don't normally subscribe to monogamy. It's not really my thing. Edward – on the other hand – is a serial monogamist. He _needs_ this and, for _him_ , I can make an exception. "I'm down if you're down, Ed."

"Really?" He says disbelievingly, face brightening exponentially. He wasn't expecting that. This makes me want to laugh and cry.

"Really." I parrot, smile spreading across my face. Can he see me wavering? "You're so cute when you're giddy."

"I am _not_ giddy," Edward scoffs. "And _cute?_ That's the last thing a guy wants to be called by his girlfriend."

That word, which normally makes my hackles raise, garners zero reaction from me. Pleased by my neutral response, I smile. Grasping the back of Edward's head, I pull his face down to mine. "You're cute," I murmur against his lips. "And sweet," his cheek. "And funny," his brow. "And smart," his ear. "And charming," his forehead. "And sexy," his nose. "And perfect," his lips.

"Mmm," Edward hums against my lips. "Keep stroking my ego. That'll get you everywhere."

"Nope," I laugh, smacking another kiss against his lips. "I'd rather stroke something else."

 _-Hallway-_

 **Two Days Later**

The moment Edward and I walk into our usual pub hand-in-hand, I know I'm in for the Spanish Inquisition. Eyebrows raised, Alice frowns and nods approvingly.

Edward, completely oblivious to Alice's scrutiny, kisses me chastely before following Jasper to the bar. "Edward, huh?" Alice, the moment we're alone, launches into her interrogation.

"Yeah," I shrug, smiling when Edward makes eye contact with me from across the bar. Grinning from ear to ear, he crosses his eyes jokingly. "He's pretty great."

"He is," Alice affirms. "I'm just shocked it took you so long to get on that."

"Yeah, well, it's complicated." Is my explanation.

"Isn't it always?" Alice laughs, watching as Edward and Jasper make their way back to our table, our drinks in hand. "For what it's worth… I'm really happy for you two."

"Yeah," I smile. "I am, too."

 _-Hallway-_

 **Two Weeks Later**

"When did this happen?" Mom asks, eyebrows raised questioningly.

"About a month ago," I confirm, smiling as I watch Edward putter around my parents' kitchen in a pink "kiss the cook" apron.

"Can't say that I'm surprised," mom remarks, sipping her white wine spritzer with a knowing smile. "Liz predicted it, although she thought it would happen much later than it has."

"Later?" I ask, tearing my eyes away from Edward's perfect ass to frown at mom. "What do you mean?"

"Hmm," mom hums thoughtfully. "She saw that you were just like me – stubborn as a bull and determined to maintain your independence – even as a little girl. She had a feeling you'd resist what was right in front of your face until something – or someone – forced you to take action."

"Wow," I laugh, shaking my head in amusement.

"A month." Mom says after a moment of thoughtful silence. "That's quite some time."

"Sure," I mumble, already catching on to what she's implying. If the wistful tone to her voice didn't give her away, the hopeful glint in her eyes did.

"Sounds like it's getting pretty serious."

"Not really."

"Hm," mom hums. "Not really for you? Or not really for him?"

"Both," I shrug.

"Hm, I doubt it." Mom chuckles. "I can almost hear the wedding bells."

"Oh, shut up!" I laugh, nudging mom's shoulder with mine. "This thing is way too new. It's way too early to be talking about shit like that."

"New for who?" Mom asks, eyebrows raised. "We both know Ed has been in love with you since you two were in diapers. This is real, Isabella. Open your eyes."

"They're open, Renee." I grumble, picking at the label of my beer bottle.

"This is serious," mom continues. "Wake up and decide whether or not this is something you want… because I can see this boy proposing to you. _Soon_."

Frowning, I direct my gaze to where Edward stands at the stove. Catching my eye from across the house, he grins. Lip trapped between my teeth, I wrinkle my nose at him in response.

"Are you in love with him?" Mom asks after a beat, observant eyes catching the brief exchange between the two of us.

"I don't know," I tell her honestly. "I've never been in love with anyone before."

"You'd know," mom sighs after a moment of tense silence.

Frowning, I mull over what she's told me. Maybe she's right. Maybe I _do_ need to think about whether or not this is what I want.

 _-Hallway-_

Lying awake that night, I listen to the deep, even breaths Edward takes as he sleeps. I wish that was me right now. But, instead, I'm consumed by mom and I's conversation tonight.

 _Are you in love with him?_

Her words keep repeating in my head, stuck on a fucking loop that does nothing but taunt me. Growing up, I never really considered myself capable of romantic love. Sure, I've had feelings for the guys that I've dated. Lust, mostly. But my relationships never strayed beyond the casual dating stage. For me, it was more fun that way. My longest relationship lasted four months. And even then, it wasn't half as intense as Edward and I's is at one month. That alone is enough to scare me away.

Sighing, I sit up and punch my pillow into submission. Rolling onto my side, I watch Edward's lips purse and lashes flutter in his sleep. It's not fair that he's here, sleeping happy as a fucking clam, while I'm up torturing myself. I wish I could be as sure as he is.

Maybe it's time I do what I told myself I'd do eight years ago.

 _-Hallway-_

 **A Week Later**

"Pardon me?" Edward laughs, hand stopping his fork's journey halfway to his mouth.

"I said," I start, stopping to take a deep breath before continuing. "I think we need to talk."

"About what?" Edward asks, eyes narrowed suspiciously. He knows, he has to. I've been so distant this past week.

"I just," I sigh, scrubbing my hands over my face in frustration when my throat closes up and traps my words inside.

"You just, what?" Frowning, I almost start to retract my words when I see the look on his face. I haven't even said anything and he's already defeated. But I can't. This time, I have to do the right thing by him.

I made a promise to Aunt Lizzy years ago that I'd take care of him. All this time, I've been stringing him along because I'm selfish and I thought that by turning him down, I'd be hurting him. But, instead, I've been keeping him from finding someone. Someone better. I need to let him go. He deserves someone that is _sure_ about him. This is the only way to keep my promise.

"I just… think that…" I stop, my throat thickening with unshed tears. _Keep it together_ , I tell myself, _this is the only way_. "We're better off friends."

"What?" Edward murmurs, face betraying zero emotion. He knew. He was expecting this. That alone is enough to make the tears I am so desperately trying to hold back escape.

"I'm sorry." I sob, bringing my hands up to cover my face. "I just… can't be what you need me to be."

Edward is silent as he sits across from me, eggs untouched and cooling rapidly as he watches me break down. After a few minutes, he sighs. "Did she tell you?"

"Did who tell me what?"

"Forget it," Edward sighs, getting up from the table. "I can't be here right now, Bella."

"A-are you okay?" I ask, wiping tears and snot from my face as I struggle to stand. He shrugs, surveying my puffy face, before turning to leave.

"I'll come by in a few days to pick up my shit." Shoes, keys, and wallet in hand, Edward practically jogs to my front door.

Stomach tied in knots, I stumble after him. "I'm sorry," I call out, watching him hurry down the hallway to the elevator. At the sound of my voice, Edward stops and rubs his hands roughly over his face.

After what feels like forever, but is only just a few seconds, Edward pivots and jogs back to me with a determined expression on his face. I have only a few seconds to process what's happening before he's got me pinned to the door frame with his mouth firmly pressed to mine. This kiss is unlike any we've shared in the past month. His lips are harsh and demanding as they move over mine. Gasping, I turn my face away as tears well up in my eyes once again.

"Tell me," Edward demands against my cheek. "Tell me that does nothing for you."

Shaking, I force out a lie through numb lips. "I-I'm sorry. I feel nothing, Ed."

I have a front-row seat to seeing the spark of determination slowly die in Edward's eyes. "Okay," he says, backing away after a moment of silence. "I-I have to go."

"I'm sorry," I repeat, watching his shoulders drop as he retreats. _He's better off_ , I tell myself as I duck back into my apartment. He'll find himself someone who loves and appreciates him like he deserves. Someone who doesn't have this history of needlessly hurting him and stringing him along.

I just hope that I don't regret this.

 _-Hallway-_

 **Eight Months Ago**

"Sorry about that," I mutter, watching Angela visibly startle at my interjection. I don't blame her; Edward's ass can be pretty mesmerizing.

"Oh," she breathes, turning to face me. "Um, don't worry about it."

Trust me, I won't. Laying it on thick with my most charming grin, I extend my hand out for her to shake. "I'm Bella – Edward's best friend." Despite my smile, I'm still filled with bitterness at the use of those words. But I snap myself out of it by remembering _I_ was the one who ended things. Not him.

"Angela," she squeaks, small, cold hand gripping mine. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," I mutter, taking a moment to analyze her appearance. She's cute. Pin-straight dark hair, light blue eyes, and a heavy smattering of freckles make up her sweet, All-American looks. Edward's had many like her before. Even if something does develop between the two of them, it'll likely not stick. It never does.

"I better," she chuckles, gesturing behind herself vaguely. "My family is probably wondering where I am."

"No worries," I smile. "It was nice meeting you, Angela." Go. Run away little girl. Run back to mommy and daddy.

"Who was that girl you were talking to?" Alice asks, face drawn in confusion as I rejoin the rest of the wedding party at our designated table.

"Oh, some girl Edward's going to fuck." I tell her flippantly, picking up a flute of champagne and downing it.

"Nice," Alice says, rolling her eyes. "When are you two going to throw in the towel and settle down? The things you guys do to prove that you're over each other drive me fucking insane. It's not healthy."

"You're not healthy," I point an accusatory finger at her. "The amount of alcohol you've consumed tonight could kill a horse. How are you still standing?"

"It's a gift," she smirks, tilting her glass at me before downing its contents. "Come, dance with me. I just got married and my husband is already fucked out of his mind."

"You don't have to ask me twice."

* * *

 **What do you guys think? Still hate Bella? Or is she starting to make a little bit more sense now?**

 **See you Wednesday! (:**

 **xo**


	16. sixteen

**Happy hump day, all!**

 **I wanted to preface this chapter by addressing some comments I got about Bella... I've read** _ **countless**_ **stories where E has had a shit ton of issues… He's even been borderline abusive, yet we all fucking swoon. Why is this acceptable when B's selfishness, commitment issues, and self-sabotage are not? Women are not immune to these things! We all know this. We're all guilty of these things. I'm a realist. Rainbows and butterflies aren't my thing. I want to make you think. I want to make you uncomfortable. I want to talk about the ugly things we all try to sweep under the rug.** _ **That's**_ **real.** _ **That's**_ **life. And** _ **that's**_ **what I want to read and write about. – End rant –**

 **Now onto the regularly scheduled update… Enjoy!**

 **sixteen**

* * *

 _The Fiancée_

* * *

"So," Veronica says, standing in my kitchen with her hands on her hips. "Are you gonna tell me what's up?"

Mouth full of garlic knot, I shrug. "Nuffin."

"Nothing?" She laughs. "You know I'm not buying that shit, Ang."

Blinking back tears, I glance down at my bare ring finger. "Do you think Edward and I are a good couple?"

"Sure, you are." Veronica shrugs, rounding the kitchen table to sit in the barstool next to me. "Where is this coming from?"

"I don't know," I sigh tiredly. "I'm drunk. Don't listen to me."

"On the contrary," Veronica laughs. "Drunk you _always_ speaks the truth."

"Which is why I never let myself get drunk." I quip, dropping my head to the counter. "What am I doing, Ron?"

"You tell me."

"This is all happening way too fast, right?" My shoulders instantly relax as Veronica's fingers begin to pull through my hair.

"This is your life, Ang. You can go at whatever pace you're comfortable with."

"And what if I'm not comfortable… not anymore?"

"Then you have a decision to make." Veronica voices the thought that has been plaguing me for the past couple of weeks.

"I do," I sigh against the countertop.

"Can I ask you something?" Veronica says after a moment of comfortable silence. At my nod, she continues. "Is this because of that dude? Garrett?"

"No," I snort, lifting my head to shake it. "I've been thinking about this for a while now… I've just been too scared to make it real."

"Why?" Veronica's lips turn down in a frown. "Ignoring this is only making it worse."

"Clearly," I mutter, rolling my eyes. "I don't know. You know me. I try to look at the positive side of things at all times. Maybe it's this thing with Bella that's got me finally acknowledging it."

"Wait, what?" Veronica cuts in. "What thing with Bella?"

"Oh," I laugh, shaking my head. "I didn't tell you about that. I think I was content to ignore that too until it blew up in my face the other day."

"Explain," Veronica says slowly, clearly trying to stay calm.

"Look, don't go ballistic. This is between Edward and me. I don't need you jumping in the middle of it." I tell her, dipping my head to catch her eye. Scowling, Veronica motions for me to continue. "Okay, so you know how they dated a while back, yeah?"

Grimace. "Yeah."

"Well, I think there's still something going on there. I've suspected it for a while now."

Frowning, Veronica shakes her head. "If there was, then why the fuck did he propose to you?"

"I didn't say I have it all figured out, Ron." I scowl. "Just that I have my suspicions."

"So then how did it blow up in your face?"

"I… witnessed something." My stomach turns sour at the memory of Edward and Bella's intense airport embrace. "Something very telling."

"Stop being so vague and spit it out, bitch." Veronica snaps. "You're making this harder than it has to be."

"They were all over each other in the airport." Just saying it turns my stomach.

"Right in front of you? I could kill that disgusting pig of a man." Veronica seethes.

"No," I correct. "It was after I left… they didn't know I could see them. Well, actually, Bella saw me. Edward didn't."

"What do you mean? Were you creeping behind some luggage or something?"

"No!" I laugh, giving her shoulder a shove. "I stopped for one last look through the window."

"So, she saw you looking." Veronica says pensively after a beat. "Maybe she _wanted_ you to see them?"

"Who knows!" I sigh exasperatedly. "She's been really cool with me until now. Why would that suddenly change?"

"Hm," Veronica hums thoughtfully. "I have a few theories… but I guess you're right. One can never be sure." After a moment of heavy silence, Veronica continues. "Is that why you put Edward's office through the ringer?"

"Not my proudest moment, I'll admit." I shrug. "I should probably clean that up before he comes back…"

"Maybe," Veronica laughs. "I'll help you."

"Thanks," I smile tiredly. "You're the best."

"I know," Veronica laughs, tugging me into her side. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

 _-Hallway-_

"Good morning, sunshine." I chirp, watching Veronica drag herself into the kitchen. "Glad you could join me."

"Yeah, okay." Veronica grumbles, holding out her hand for a mug of coffee. "Don't fucking talk to me until this shit kicks in." After a beat, Veronica continues. "So, I see you started the office clean up without me."

"Yeah," I shrug. "I'm just packing it all up in boxes."

"Really?" Veronica perks up at this. "Are you kicking him out?"

Frowning, I shrug. "I slept on it… and I think we need some space so that we can decide what we want."

"I think that's fair." Veronica shrugs, tucking back into her coffee. "You think he'll be pissed?"

"Don't know," I shrug. "I guess we'll see."

"Either way," Veronica sobers. "I'm proud of you and I fully support you."

"Thanks, sis." I tell her, patting her back as I pass by. "I'll just be in the office. Come join me when you're done in here."

I'm nearing the main hallway when I see it. Edward. Standing just inside the front door.

"Oh," I squeak, grabbing at my throat in alarm. "You're home!"

Arms crossed over his chest, Edward raises an eyebrow. "I am," his voice is soft and serious. "We need to talk."

Swallowing, I nod. "Yeah, we do."

* * *

 **So, how do you feel about Angela's confession? Did they jump into this engagement too soon? How about Edward's homecoming? What do you think they'll talk about? Also – you think he'll notice that she trashed his office before packing it all up?**

 **Thanks, as always, for your continued support! I love reading you reviews (: See you Friday!**

 **xo**


	17. seventeen

**Surprise! Early update! I really appreciated all the love the last chapter got so I decided to treat you all with chapter seventeen a day early! Enjoy (:**

 **seventeen**

* * *

 _The Best Friend_

* * *

I wake up from my nap to eerie silence. Frowning, I push back the blankets and stumble out of bed.

"Hello?" I call out, wandering into the shared living room space. "Edward? Emmett?" When there's no answer, I continue. "Jasper? Riley?" After a beat, I realize that I'm alone.

"Fuckers," I mutter to myself aloud. They went out without me.

Grumbling to myself, I stomp back to Edward and I's room and dig through my purse for my phone. Scrolling through my contacts, I find Emmett's and press "call." He picks up after a few rings.

"What's up, girl?" I can tell by the background noise that he's in a bar.

"You couldn't wake me up? Where the fuck _are_ you guys?"

"Nice," Emmett chuckles. "It's good to hear from you, too. Thanks."

"Em," I groan. "I'm serious."

"Look, B." Emmett starts with a sigh. "I don't want to throw my boy under the bus… but this wasn't my call. He needs some time…" He trails off.

"Away from me?" My stomach twists at that thought.

"I really can't say…" Em sighs. "Just know that you've given him _a lot_ to think about."

"Okay," I sigh in defeat. "I'll be here when you guys get back… I'm going to stay on the pull-out bed tonight."

"That's probably best," Em affirms. "I'll see you later, B."

Sighing, I disconnect the call and plug my phone in to charge. This weekend has turned into a total fucking mess and it's all my fault. Why the fuck did I go home with that guy? And why did it take me so fucking long to tell Edward how I feel?

Deciding to distract myself rather than dwell on this any longer, I wander out into the living room and start unfolding the bed. As I suspected, it's thin and lumpy. But I deserve it.

Sprawled out on the bed, I grasp the remote and turn on the TV. Might as well numb my mind with garbage while I'm at it.

 _-Hallway-_

In the early hours of the morning, I'm awoken by the sound of the boys returning. Rolling to face the doorway, I watch them stagger in through narrowed eyes.

"Shut the fuck up!" Emmett laughs loudly before flipping on the lights and nearly searing my retinas. "Fuck, sorry Bella!"

"It's alright," I groan, covering my face with the blanket. "I'm glad you guys had fun."

"Understatement of the century!" Emmett cries. "Best night of my fucking life!"

Swallowing back the bitter sting of jealousy, I pull back the blankets and smile. "That's great!"

"You know what's not great?" Riley grumbles. "You – stealing my fucking bed, B."

"You can sleep with me." Edward's voice is devoid of emotion as he addresses Riley from his bedroom doorway. "I'm off to bed now. Night."

"Night!" We all call in unison. Edward doesn't even acknowledge us – or me, at all. Instead, he turns and firmly closes his door.

"No offense," Riley starts. "But I'm not gonna sleep in there with him."

"I don't blame you," Jasper chuckles. "He's in a foul fucking mood, that guy."

"I blame B." Riley shrugs, tossing a throw pillow at my head playfully. "He clearly needs to get laid and she's holding out on him."

" _He_ is engaged to another woman… or have you already forgotten why we're here?" I try – and fail – to keep the acidic sarcasm out of my voice.

"For now," Riley sings. "And on that note, I'm gonna go make myself a nice little bed in the bathtub."

"Knock yourself out," I grumble, rolling over and pushing my face into the lumpy pillow.

"Don't beat yourself up so much," Jasper murmurs lowly, patting my back softly, soothingly. "It's going to be alright, B."

"Thanks, J." I sigh. "But I really don't think so."

 _-Hallway-_

The brightness of the sun rouses me from my slumber at 7 a.m. Groaning, I roll over and out of bed. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I pad into the kitchen to make myself some coffee. My lips tug down in a frown when I realize that there's some already brewed.

"Morning." Pivoting, I spot Edward leaning casually against the doorframe of his room with a steaming cup of coffee in hand.

"Morning," I parrot. My heart squeezes at the sight of him. Clad in a soft gray Henley, army green joggers, and bright, white Adidas sneakers, he is absolutely beautiful. Forcing my eyes away, I notice his packed luggage in the hall. "You're leaving?" The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.

"Yeah," Edward shrugs. "This has been really fun… but I have some business to attend to back home."

"Oh," I murmur, turning to pour myself a mug of coffee. Glancing over my shoulder, I continue. "Big case?"

"No," Edward sighs before pushing off the wall. "It's not work related, Bella."

Swallowing, I watch him stride over to me slowly. "Oh," is my intelligent response.

He's standing there, right in front of me now. Arms at his sides, he stares deeply, imploringly into my eyes. "What you said yesterday… Did you mean it?"

Shaking with a mixture of nerves and excitement, I nod. "Yes, Ed. I meant it. All of it."

"Why did you do it, then? You went home with that guy Friday night and then dropped this bomb on me Saturday morning. It doesn't make any sense, Bella." His eyes hold a mixture of hurt and anger. I can't say that I blame him.

"I don't know," my hands tremble as I bring the mug to my lips. "It's just… when it comes to you… it seems like I can't fucking get anything right."

"You can say that again." Edward grumbles, rolling his eyes. "Fuck," he laughs after a beat, shaking his head and frowning. "No matter how hard I try to stay mad at you, I can't! I see your face and it's like all of my anger vanishes."

"I'm sorry," I sigh tiredly. "I can – I don't know – go to the lobby or something to give you space. Just until you leave, or whatever." Jesus, Bella, how fucking eloquent. Might as well start communicating solely through grunts and nods while I'm at it.

"No," Edward interjects quickly. "I… I hardly slept last night –" I'm quick to cut him off with another apology. In response, he just holds his hand up and shakes his head. "I was up thinking… about what you said… and-and how I feel… and… what my next steps are." I guess we're both pretty eloquent. What a fucking pair we are.

"Yeah?" I say, curious and nervous and excited and sick to my stomach all at once.

"I just want to know…" Edward trails off, chewing on the inside of his cheek before continuing. "Do you truly regret it? Ending things between us?" His voice is soft, wistful.

"It's the single biggest regret of my life." I respond confidently. For once, I'm sure. I have never been so sure about something in my entire life. I knew, the moment I ended things, that I was going to regret it. I had hoped that it was the right decision, but I could feel that it wasn't in my gut… in my _heart._

At my words, Edward closes his eyes and bites his lip. "I've been fantasizing about hearing you say that for a long time, Bella. You can't know how much this means to me."

"But I do," I tell him, searching his green eyes desperately. "For the past two years I've been lying to myself. Lying to you. And all I've done is hurt us both in the process. I can't do it anymore, Ed." I won't do it anymore. It's fucking killing me.

Lips parted, he stares back at me. "But why? Why did you do it? Why did you end things when you full-well knew we _weren't_ better off friends?"

"I didn't know that, though." I sigh. "At least not then. I was having a hard time sorting through my feelings. I'd never – _I've_ never – felt… _that way_ about someone before. Things were moving so fast… and I just couldn't sort myself out. I was under the misguided impression that by letting you go, I was ensuring your happiness... because how could you be happy with someone who isn't _sure_ about how they feel."

"But I _was_ happy – with you. And I really, _truly_ haven't been since." Edward sighs. "You broke my heart, Bella. For two years, I've been numb to the world – just _existing_ – and trying to make the best out of what I _can_ have."

"I'm sorry," I whisper as a lone, fat tear tracks a warm trail down my cheek. "I broke my own, too."

Sighing, Edward runs his fingers roughly through his hair. "What a fucking mess."

"Right," I snort, wiping at my eyes with the heel of my hand. "So, what now?"

"Now?" Edward murmurs, scrubbing his hands over his face. "Now… I need to clean up this mess."

"How?"

"By doing what's right." He sighs. "I need to talk to Angela."

* * *

 **Lines of communication are slowly opening! This is by far my favorite chapter. What do you guys think?** **One hard talk down, one more to go for Indecisiveward! Excited to see how his chat with Angela goes? Check back Saturday to find out (:**

 **xo**


	18. eighteen

**Hi all - Happy Sunday! I know I said I'd have this up yesterday, but my day was a little hectic so I was unable to post. A day late, but here it is! The talk you all have been waiting for! Enjoy (:**

 **eighteen**

* * *

 _The Fiancée_

* * *

"Is everything alri – " Veronica starts, cutting herself off when she stumbles into the hallway to find Edward and I in an awkward stand-off. "Oh, um, hi Edward."

Edward purses his lips and nods his head in the universal guy greeting. Standing there in the hall, in complete silence, our eyes volley between each other uncomfortably.

"Ooooookay, I think I'm going to… head out?" Veronica says after a few minutes of this. "Ang – you going to be okay here on your own?"

"Yeah, yeah," I tell her, waving off her concern. "I'll call you later, sis. Thanks for everything."

"Anytime," she tells me, lips pulled into a soft smile. "I'll see you around, Edward."

We both watch Veronica hastily gather her things before making a quick exit. The moment the front door clicks shut, our eyes swing back to each other.

"You look well," he says, eyes slowly assessing my appearance.

"You don't," I tell him honestly. His hair is a mess. His eyes are bloodshot. He clearly hasn't shaved in days and his normally nicely manicured nails are bitten down and uneven.

"Yeah," he chuffs, face drawn and tired. "It's been a hell of a weekend."

"Right," I murmur, sucking in a nervous breath. We stare at each other for a moment before he sighs and nods.

"Let's just…" he starts, gesturing for me to follow him. Lip trapped between my teeth, I do. Standing in the hall, he seems to consider where he wants to do this. Belatedly, I realize that he might choose to have this conversation in his office. Do I want him to see what I have done? While it's no longer a mess, it certainly reveals my thought process. And I'd prefer to listen to what he has to say _first_ before giving him the rundown.

"Let's go in here," I tell him, moving around his indecisive form to head into the living room. Assessing the furniture, I choose the recliner so that there is a degree of separation between the two of us. Edward pauses briefly in the doorway, face drawn in concentration as he assesses the situation. After a moment, he seems to gather his wits and moves to fold his long form into a seated position on the couch.

"So…" I start, hoping he'll take this as an invitation to take initiative.

"Angela," Edward sighs. "I can't think of a way to phrase this delicately… so I'm just going to give it to you straight. I think what we're doing is a mistake."

Relief. Utter relief floods my body at his words. Followed by shock – at my reaction, at the fact that this is actually happening. "Really?" I breathe out.

"I'm sorry," he sighs. "I just don't think that I can do this. I don't think that I'm the right guy for you."

The numbness of shock fades, making way for anger. Really? _This_ is how he's ending things with me? Without an explanation? Without addressing what we _both_ know is the reason behind his decision? Without mentioning _her_ – Bella. Nope. This is not happening. I won't allow it.

"I don't think so either." My words are sharp, cutting. His head, which was hanging down in a mixture of sadness and shame, snaps up in alarm. "Not when you are clearly in love with someone else."

Red blossoms in his cheeks. His lashes flutter as he blinks rapidly. His mouth opens and closes several times. My words have rendered him speechless, it seems.

"That's what I thought." My voice is bitter, frank. He won't escape unscathed. I won't let him.

"I-I'm sorry, Angela."

"Not good enough." I counter, squaring my shoulders confidently and channeling my mother's cunning intuition.

"I don't know what you want me to say." Edward sighs, pushing his glasses up into his hair and rubbing the heels of his palms into his eyes.

"Why did you propose to me, Edward? These feelings you have aren't new. You knew then, same as you know now, that you're in love with her. With _Bella._ " He reacts like I've slapped him when I say her name. I should slap him. He deserves it for dragging me into the middle of this mess.

"I don't know…" he starts, sighing in frustration.

"Bullshit," I interject. The curse, although foreign, feels good – right, even – coming out of my mouth.

"Angela – if you would let me finish!" Edward cries out in frustration. "Jesus, I have no idea what has come over you! All of these… these… accusations make no sense!"

"But they do," I reply sardonically. "Because you haven't even bothered to deny them, have you?"

"No, I haven't." Edward admits tiredly. "Look, I didn't come here to fight with you. I wanted to end things with you amicably. You're an amazing person, Angela. This decision has nothing to do with you."

"And then what?" I ask from between gritted teeth. "You were going to run off with Bella to live happily ever after? Come on, Edward. You _at least_ owe me an explanation."

Edward stares at me for a moment, lips pursed, before sighing. "You're right – an explanation is the least of what I owe you. I'm a fucking asshole for doing this to you."

"Well?" I ask him after a beat of tense silence.

Fingers knotted in his hair, Edward begins. "Fuck… I don't know where to start... At the beginning?" He phrases this like a question, but doesn't wait for me to answer. Instead, he starts talking again, staring down at his clasped hands the whole time. "After Bella broke up with me two years ago, I was in really a rough spot. She's always been a constant in my life, and that didn't change after our romantic relationship ended. I spent a lot of time trying to distract myself by… uh, for lack of better words, fucking her out of my system. Clearly, that didn't work." Edward punctuates his sentence with a bitter laugh. Glancing up at me now, he continues. "When I met you, I felt something I hadn't felt in a long time – _hope._ You were sweet, smart, cheerful, and – most importantly – actually interested in pursuing a relationship with me. You were – _are –_ perfect and… unlike the other girls I had been with, including Bella, it wasn't just about sex with you. After a few months of dating I was convinced that… that we – you and I – had _it_ and that I didn't need to waste any more time in the 'dating' stage. So, I proposed."

"So, you settled." I state, my stomach turning at the idea of being someone's second-best.

"No, no, that's not what I meant!" Edward hurries to correct my statement. Lurching across the room, he kneels in front of me and clasps my hands in his. "Angela, being with you was by no means settling. I'm not lying when I say I love you. I do. Which is why I have to end things with you. It's not fair for me to keep stringing you along when I'm _in love_ with someone else."

"Why now?" I probe, looking him directly in the eyes. "What changed? What happened this weekend?"

"Nothing," Edward sighs, glancing down at our clasped hands. "Everything. It's hard to explain."

"Did you cheat on me?" I try to keep my voice even, unaffected as I ask this.

"No!" Edward exclaims, squeezing my hands in his and dipping his head to maintain eye contact. "No, I would never do that to you, Angela."

"Thank you." I tell him honestly. Breaking eye contact, I continue. "I saw the way you two were all over each other at the airport and… well, I couldn't help but to jump to my own conclusions."

"I'm sorry," Edward sighs. "I'm sorry that you had to see that and I'm sorry to have disrespected you like that. You deserve much more than what I am capable of giving you. You deserve someone better than me."

Frowning, I nod and think about G – the new contact in my phone. He doesn't have to know about that. It doesn't change anything.

"Thank you," I repeat. "I think all that is left is for us to talk about living arrangements. Since my father bought this apartment, I'm going to keep it."

"Right," Edward says, standing up to his full height now. "That makes sense. I'll, um, start looking for my own place."

Lip trapped between my teeth, I continue. "In the meantime, I think it's best that you find someplace else to stay. The majority of your stuff can remain here until you've found a place of your own. I've already started packing up some of your things in the office."

"Wow," Edward chuckles. "You… you were already planning to throw my ass out, huh?"

"I…" I start, trying to find the right way to phrase my response. Was I planning to throw him out? Maybe. I definitely wanted some space. Which included him living somewhere else for the foreseeable future. So, yeah, I guess I was planning to throw him out. "Yeah."

"Fuck," Edward sighs. "I really fucked things up with you."

"You did," I affirm. "You already have one bag packed," I say, nodding at the bag he took to Vegas with him for the weekend. "The rest of your luggage is on the top shelf of the closet. Leave your key on the table by the door before you go."

Smiling, I recline my seat and turn on the TV before glancing back at him all casual-like. He's now got his arms crossed over his chest and his brows drawn together. Although I'm not his biggest fan at the moment, I can't help but observe that anger looks really good on him. "I'll just be in here if you need me."

Swinging my eyes back to the TV, I pretend to watch _House Hunters_ while he packs up his stuff. It only takes him ten minutes.

"I'll, um, text you later this week to arrange a time to pick up the rest of my stuff." Edward tells me from the doorway. After a minute or so of silence, he continues hesitantly. "Um, I don't know how to ask this, but… your ring? Can I have it back?"

My hands are steady as I slide the ring from my finger. He takes it from my outstretched hand, his face creased with despondence.

"Take care, alright?" He tells me, eyes shining with sincerity.

"You too," I respond, tearing my eyes away from him to stare at a spot just above the TV. I hope he sees the nonchalance that I'm trying so hard to project.

It's quiet for a moment. Him staring at me. Me staring at the wall above the TV. He sighs. I hold my breath. His shoes scuff against the wood as he backtracks to the door. My eyes stay glued to the wall. One Mississippi. Two Mississippi. Three Mississippi. Four Mississippi. I count the seconds it takes for him to open the door. After seven seconds, he closes it firmly behind him. Letting out the breath I had been holding, I drop my head against the back of the couch.

I'm alone.

* * *

 **What did you guys think? Angela's a lot more like her mother than she's let on, huh? Edward has really dodged a bullet there with that one haha**

 **What's next, you ask? Check back on Tuesday to find out (;**

 **xo**


	19. nineteen

**Hi all - so sorry for going ghost! I was having a pretty rough couple of weeks trying to balance my classes and teaching and finishing writing this. But now I'm back! Thank you everyone for being patient and thank you to those of you who reached out to me in my absence. I really appreciate your concern. Now, to what you all have been waiting for! Enjoy (:**

 **nineteen**

* * *

 _The Best Friend_

* * *

"So… how did it go?" Victoria asks, leaning over the top of the cubicle that separates our desks. Its Monday morning and prime time for gossip.

Frowning, I shrug. "Not good. Not bad."

"Explain."

"I don't know," I sigh, leaning back in my rolling chair. "We talked – finally – about how we feel about each other. Obviously, there's more that needs to be said, but I think it was a good start."

"And?" Victoria probes, vibrant red brows nearly disappearing into her hairline.

"He's going to talk to her. To Angela." I should feel happy about that… but I don't. Just saying those words makes guilt twist in my gut. After growing up with what society calls "loose" dealings with guys, I'm practically numb to the names other women call me. However, I've _never_ been a homewrecker. Unavailable guys just aren't my thing. Well, not until Edward went and got himself engaged.

"That's good, right?! You're getting what you wanted."

Nodding, I swallow. I am, but that still doesn't lessen the guilt. Despite being my romantic rival, I can admit that Angela is a genuinely nice person. She doesn't deserve this. But I've still gone and done it to her. What kind of person does that make me?

 _-Hallway-_

That night, I give in to temptation and shoot Edward a text. I told myself I'd give him some space – let him figure things out at his own pace. But I'm too antsy to let him be. I need to know that he's alright.

 _Everything ok?_

The text is short, simple, effective. The moment I send it, relief floods my body. Just the thought of communicating with him, even through something as trivial as text message, brightens my mood. I'm pathetic.

After sitting with my silent phone in hand for about 10 minutes, I decide that I need a distraction. Glancing around, I spot the pile of dirty dishes in my sink – left unwashed from before the weekend. Shaking my head at my own slovenly habits, I roll up my sleeves and get to work.

Despite my best efforts, my eyes continue to volley back to my phone, which sits silently on the kitchen counter. Not even the monstrous pile of dirty dishes can hold my full attention. Mind whirring, I can't help but conjure up countless scenarios of what could have happened upon Edward's homecoming. And due to my panicked state of mind, all of them are extreme.

Sighing, I scrub my sudsy hands through my hair in frustration. If only he'd respond, then I would be able to get some relief.

But he doesn't. Not Tuesday night. Not Wednesday morning or _at all_ on Wednesday. Not Thursday. Not even on Friday when I send another – even more desperate – text.

By Saturday afternoon, I've just about driven myself crazy with worry. Which is why I nearly jump out of my skin when my phone lights up with an incoming phone call. Expecting – and hoping – that it's Edward, I hastily swipe my finger across the screen and press it against my ear without first checking the caller ID.

"Hello?" I gasp desperately, urgently. The voice that greets me is so unexpected I drop my phone in surprise. "Fuck!" Cry out, scrambling to recover it before pressing it back to my ear. "I'm sorry, I dropped my phone. What did you say?"

"I said – I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time." She repeats, voice as clear and sweet as a bell. Just like I remember it being. It's only been a little less than eight months, but it feels like fucking _years_ since we've spoken.

"No, no, it's good. Now's good." I tell her, sitting unsteadily on the couch in preparation for what I can only assume will be a hard conversation. "What's up?"

"You know what." Her voice is hard, cutting. I can't help but wince. "What the fuck did you do this time?"

"I really don't know what you mean." I tell her, hoping she'll buy my clueless act all while knowing she most likely won't. She knows me better than I know myself. Better than Edward does, even.

"Cut the bullshit, Bella." She laughs. "I come home Monday to find Edward fucking camped out in my guest room, claiming he's all good, it's all good, he'll be out as soon as he finds himself a new place. Now, tell me, how does a guy go from seemingly happy-as-hell and engaged to living in his friend's guest room in just a weekend?"

"I didn't –" I start, only to be cut off by her again.

"No, I don't want to hear your fucking excuses. You've been screwing with his life for far too long. You need to fix this. _Now_."

Swallowing, I nod. "I know. I haven't been the best of friends to him." Her cruel laugh is the only response I get. "But you have to believe me. He wants this. We _finally_ talked this weekend – something you had once begged me to do… He wants to be with me. Same as I want to be with him."

"Is that so?" She says, voice shockingly neutral.

"Yes," I repeat, feeling my throat close with emotion. "I'm finally getting what I wanted… what _we_ wanted for so long!"

"Well then I wish you two the best of luck." She says before the line goes quiet.

"Hello?" I say, frantic at the thought of being disconnected from her again. "Alice, please!" I murmur, pulling the phone away from my face to find it blank and moist from my tears.

Within my chest, my heart aches. Alice was my roommate freshman year of college. She and I clicked instantly and were inseparable since. Well, up until she decided to cut me off and out of her life eight months ago. She was Edward and I's biggest proponent and when I ended things with him, she supported me despite her disagreement.

That changed when Edward went and got himself engaged. She could see how much it hurt me and encouraged me to step in and say something. My inaction put a lot of tension on our relationship. She didn't understand why I'd just sit back and watch him marry someone else. I didn't understand myself either, but I was too stupid to do something about it. Alice couldn't take it. She decided she wasn't going to sit around and watch me suffer. She cut me out and took my last bit of happiness with her.

Its only now that I realize that I'm never going to get it back.

* * *

 **Was anyone wondering why it seemed like Vic was Bella's only friend? That's because she is. Poor Bella.**

 **What do you guys think about Alice? Was it right of her to cut Bella out for her stupidity? Also - what is going on with Edward? Why isn't he talking to Bella?**

 **We'll get a glimpse of what is going on with him next time (: Look out for an update tomorrow!**

 **xo**


	20. twenty

**twenty**

* * *

 _The Prize_

* * *

Bags in hand, I stand beside my car in the parking garage and blink back shock. I've just been kicked out of my apartment. This is a scenario I never would have predicted for myself.

Robotically, I toss my shit into the trunk and slide into the driver's seat. The first thought that comes to mind is Bella. That is quickly followed by the echoing of Angela's cruel words in my head.

" _And then what? You were going to run off with Bella to live happily ever after?"_

I can't let her be right. At least, not yet.

My fingers find Jasper's phone number in my contact list. It rings three times before he picks up.

"What's up, man?" The confusion is evident in his voice. We just saw each other not hours before. By now, he should be waiting to board his flight home from Vegas.

"I-" I start, stopping when I realize that I'm not sure what I want to tell him. "I need a place to stay for a bit."

"Shit," Jasper murmurs through the phone, clearly concerned. "Edward, of course you're welcome to stay at our place."

"Thanks, man." I mumble, feeling the mental exhaustion set in. "Is it okay if I head over now? I'm fucking tired."

"Yeah, yeah." Jasper assures me. "Alice is there now. I'll call now and let her know you're on your way."

My hands fall to my lap as the line goes dead. This is what I wanted. Why does it feel so… bad?

 _-Hallway-_

"Edward," Alice greets, ushering me in through the front door. "Jasper said you're staying for a bit?"

"Yeah," I murmur, following her through the foyer and into the kitchen. "Uh, just until I can find my own place."

"Your own place?" Alice repeats, eyes flashing in surprise. "You're not living with Angel anymore?"

"No," I shrug, glancing around the room in order to avoid eye contact. "We broke up."

"Oh," Alice gasps. "I'm so sorry to hear that. If there's anything I can do… just let me know, okay?"

"Yeah," I shrug. "Sure, thanks, Alice."

"No problem, Edward." She says, eyes shining with sympathy.

"I think I'm going to head upstairs. I… I'm dead. I need a nap."

"Of course, of course." Alice says, gesturing frantically for me to go ahead. "You had a crazy weekend."

"Yeah, I did." Pausing, I glance back at her over my shoulder. It's been a few months since I've last seen her, and yet it seems her belly has tripled in size. "You look great, by the way. How many months is it until you're due?"

"Four," she smiles, hand drifting down to her belly subconsciously. "Thank you, Edward."

 _-Hallway-_

The flashing of my phone screen pulls my eyes away from my dinner date, yet again.

"When are you going to talk to her, dude?" Emmett asks, normally jolly face pulled into a deep-set frown.

"When I'm ready." I reply, my response almost automatic I've repeated it so often.

"You're driving her crazy." Emmett says matter-of-factly. "You should fucking see her, Ed. She's a mess."

"Oh, so you've _seen_ her, huh?" I can't help the accusatory tone my voice takes on. Emmett has always had a questionable relationship with Bella – at least in my perspective. They're always touching and joking and flirting. And it has always burned my fucking ass. Even more so now that I've decided to put some distance between the two of us.

"Chill, dude!" Emmett laughs. "Not _like that_. I saw her at Whole Foods the other day. She looked like shit, man. Hair a fucking mess and dark circles under her eyes. She's so skinny I doubt she's been eating any of the food she's buying."

 _Fuck_ , I curse internally. I can't help the guilt that twists my gut at the thought of the pain that I am surely causing her. But I need this time. I need to get back on my feet. I need to get my mind right before I allow myself to fall back into a relationship with her. I can't lose myself in her. Not again.

"I-I'll talk to her." I assure Emmett. "I just need some time."

"It's been months, Ed." Emmett sighs, shaking his head. "You've got your new place. You just got a promotion. If you're not ready now, you'll never be ready."

Frowning, I pick up my glass and stare intently into its depths. Despite not wanting to, I can see his point. I _should_ be ready. It's just that every time I pick up the phone to call her, it happens. Flashes from two years ago play back in my head. Her smitten stares and bashful smiles morph into the cold, cruel frown that marred her pretty face the day she told me she felt nothing. Choked by emotion, I almost always drop my phone and hang my head – unwilling to face that heartbreak again.

Emmett is right. I don't know if I'll ever be ready.

* * *

 **Hopefully this helped to explain what is going on in Edward's head. What do you all think? Will he ever be ready to get back into a relationship with Bella?**

 **I plan to post daily this week to make up for my absence, so look out for the next chapter tomorrow! (:**

 **xo**


	21. twenty-one

**twenty-one**

* * *

 _The Best Friend_

* * *

It takes a whole month for my hope to run out.

Silence. Utter silence. I don't know what I did – or didn't do – to deserve this, but I hate myself for it. I thought we left things on good terms. Clearly, I was mistaken. Alice's phone call and Emmett's awkward reaction to seeing me at the grocery store is evidence enough.

Stalking Edward's social media accounts has become my obsession. I try to limit myself to just checking it hourly. Sometimes I'm successful. Most times I'm not. He's not a very active user. But on those rare occasions that he _does_ post something, I spend hours, days even, analyzing it. Wondering what he was doing when he posted it… what caused him to post it… if he ever thinks about me. This, I realize, is very unhealthy.

"You need to move on, hon." Victoria proclaims during our weekly happy hour.

"I can't." I sigh, tracing lines through the condensation that has built up on my drink. "I love him, Vic."

"Yes, and he has shown that your love means absolutely nothing to him."

" _He_ left _her_." I continue, raising my eyes to hers. "That has to mean something."

"Sure," Victoria's eyes tell me everything she wants to say and more. Pity. Sheer pity glints back at me from behind her lush lashes. "It means that he doesn't want to be with _her_."

Sighing, I drop my head onto my folded arms. "I don't know what to do." I don't know if she can hear my muffled proclamation over the sound of the bar. At this point, I don't care. I thought I was miserable when Edward was engaged. That pales in comparison to what I am feeling now.

"You know what will make you feel better?" Victoria says, hand patting my shoulder reassuringly.

"Ice cream?" I mutter into my arm miserably.

"No," Victoria laughs. "Getting laid."

For once in the past month, I snort out a genuine laugh. "Right," I chuckle darkly. "Let's try to solve my man problem with more men. A fool-fucking-proof plan, Vic."

"Hey!" Victoria laughs. "Can't say I didn't try. I mean, look at that bartender! He's pretty hot _and_ he keeps looking over here."

Shaking my head in dismay, I glance toward where she's gestured. Timing really is a bitch because just as I look over, so does said bartender, and unwillingly, I make eye contact. Victoria _is_ right. He _is_ cute, but I'm nowhere near ready to move on. Despite my lack of hope, I'm still very much in love with Edward. And the last time I slept with someone else, I ended up feeling like the bottom of a shoe for weeks. I still do – even now – when I think of it.

"Thanks, but no thanks." I tell Vic, tearing my eyes away from the cute bartender and diving back into my drink. I'd rather drown my sorrows in drink than in men.

"Oh, shit!" Victoria exclaims, causing me to narrowly avoid shooting martini out of my nose. "Holy fucking shit, Bella!"

"What?" I gasp, wiping at my face with the back of my hand.

"Don't look now," Victoria warns. "But Angela just fucking walked in."

"What?" I repeat dumbly. "Where?"

"Six O'clock." Victoria says, gesturing wildly with her eyes.

"What?" I laugh. "You're saying six o'clock but moving your eyes in the opposite direction!"

"At the bar!" She hisses before downing the rest of her drink. "She's talking to hot bartender. This is fucking _gold_. I'm going in."

"What? No!" I start to get up to stop her but she's already gone. Frowning, I peek over my shoulder as Victoria sidles up to the bar _right next_ to Angela. My frown deepens at the sight of Angela's attire… actually, _lack of_ attire is a better way to phrase that. Gone are the sundresses and kitten heels, replaced by a nude body-con dress and thigh-high boots. I'm so surprised I nearly knock myself off of my barstool.

Straightening up, I turn around in my seat and gasp when I realize that I'm not alone. Across from me, wearing a smug smirk, is Veronica – Angela's sister.

"She looks good, doesn't she?" Veronica says, nodding toward where Angela is chatting up the cute guy behind the bar. After a pregnant pause, she continues. "It's alright, you don't have to admit it. Your eyes tell me everything I want to know."

Finding my voice, I finally address her. "What do you want?" It comes out sharper than I intended, but at this point, I'm beyond caring. I've had quite a few drinks and getting into a fight is starting to look pretty good right now. Misery and insecurity can do a hell of a lot to people.

"Sheesh," Veronica laughs, waving the air around her face dramatically. "Your hostility is out of line, seeing as _you're_ the bitch that stole _my sister's_ fiancé."

"I said," I grind out through gritted teeth. "What. Do. You. Want."

Blue eyes flashing wickedly, Veronica steps closer to my table. "Despite what you did to her, Angel's fine. She's moved on and happier than ever. You did her a favor, really."

"Woop-di-fucking-doo." I manage to drone in a disinterested voice despite the anger that boils within me. It sizzles and pops underneath my skin, making my hands shake and my vision redden.

"But can you say the same for your beloved Edward?" Veronica continues, eyes shining cruelly with mirth. "He's been blowing up my sister's phone nonstop. Seems like the grass _wasn't_ greener, huh?"

The building rage inside of me reaches its boiling point. I'm on my feet in an instant. The barstool that I had once occupied falls to the floor with a clatter. Seeing red, I stand nose-to-nose with Veronica.

"Alright, you got your punch in. I'll take it." I tell her, narrowing my eyes in challenge. "But are you prepared to take _mine_?"

"I dare you," she laughs, taking a half-step closer to me and fusing our chests together. Through the layers of clothes, I can feel her heart hammering in time with mine. My fists clench at my sides. It's been a long time since I've physically fought another person. I got into a few catfights in high school and leaning into this fight feels almost instinctual. The muscles twitch in my right arm, urging it to shoot out into Veronica's gut. Or her face. It would be so satisfying to crush that pixie-like nose that both she and Angela possess.

I'm just about to lift my arm when I'm hauled backward into a wide chest.

"Chill." A masculine voice murmurs into my ear; his arms hold me snugly around my chest, pressing my arms down into my sides.

"Fucking let me go." I grind out, twisting in his vice-like embrace.

"Naw, slugger." He chuckles. "I'll let you go once you're outside."

"Fuck you." I spit out, kicking my leg back and landing a hit against his thigh. "That bitch started it."

"Easy there," he chuckles. "You're lucky Ang asked me to be nice to you or else I'd have tossed you out onto your feisty little ass."

"Bella!" Victoria shouts, ducking outside right as the big man releases me. "What the fuck?"

"She baited me, Vic." I sigh, knotting my fingers through my hair. "I'm sorry."

"Honestly," Victoria laughs, shaking her head. "I'm pretty impressed. It looked like you were about to open up a can of whoop ass on her!"

"Hah," I snort, shaking my weary head. "Something like that."

"What did she say?" Victoria's fingers smooth down my arms, rubbing out the tension.

"She just told me what I needed to hear." I sigh, feeling my eyes droop with exhaustion. "Let's… let's go."

"Okay, hon." Victoria murmurs, eyes crinkled with worry. "You sure you're okay?"

"I will be." I assure her.

 _I will be_ , I assure myself.

* * *

 **Yikes! Don't kill me! Isn't there some saying out there about things getting worse before they get better? Let me know your thoughts in the reviews! (:**

 **See you all tomorrow!**

 **xo**


	22. twenty-two

**Hi there - I just wanted to thank everyone for their reviews! I really appreciate all of the love and support, as well as the critiques. It means a lot to me to see that this little story is causing a lot of you to react so passionately. (: Enjoy!**

 **twenty-two**

* * *

 _The Ex-Fiancée_

* * *

"Who is that?" Veronica asks, peering over my shoulder as my phone vibrates for the third time.

"Nobody." I snap, hastily deleting the text and notification.

"It's Edward again, isn't it?" Veronica mutters, face a mask of barely concealed rage. "Why won't he just leave you alone already?"

Shrugging, I bite my lip as my mind conjures the image of the text I just deleted. It _was_ Edward, but not like she's thinking…

 _When can I pick up my computer?_

He's been bugging me nonstop about his damned computer. Sure, I understand why. It has all his work information on it. But, he has to work against _my_ schedule. And I'm not going to stop my whole life to accommodate him. I mean, he's the one that ruined this. Ruined us.

 _-Hallway-_

It's only a few days later that I decide to put him out of his misery and answer his call. I mean, I do want him to leave me alone, _don't I?_

"Finally, you answer." Edward growls through the phone. "I've been trying to get ahold of you for weeks."

"Huh," I say, gnawing my lip as I try to portray confidence. "You were?"

"Yeah," Edward says, clearly frustrated. "I called. I texted. I left voicemail."

"Huh," I repeat. "I didn't get any of them, then."

"Look," Edward says, voice communicating his exhaustion. "I don't want to fight. I just want my computer."

"I'm home all weekend." I tell him flippantly. "You're welcome to stop by."

"I'll be by on Saturday," Edward sighs and then the line goes dead. Blinking back sparks of shock, I set my phone down. I'm over him, I'm done with him… but why am I so effected by this miniscule conversation? Staring unblinkingly at the wall, I mull this over.

 _-Hallway-_

Friday nights at Garrett's bar have become something of a ritual for me. Its kind of become _my_ place. If that makes any sense. Which is why I'm taken by surprise when Veronica and I run into Bella there. I'm equally as surprised when Bella squares up to my sister, puffing her chest and balling her fists like she'd like nothing more than to pummel her.

"What did you say to her?" I ask Veronica, watching as Garrett tows a livid Bella away.

"I just let her know that lover boy might not be completely over you." Veronica shrugs. "She deserves to hurt. Especially after what she did to you."

Frowning, I swallow back the guilt that crawls up my throat. "What do you mean?"

"I told her Edward is blowing up your phone nonstop. He is, isn't he?" Veronica's eyebrows raise in challenge.

"Yes, but –" I start, but stop myself. Copping to my manipulation of the truth isn't going to do this situation any good. There nothing else I can do. "Never mind."

"God, she's crazy." Veronica laughs. "She was really going to punch me."

"She was," I confirm. "Thank god for Garrett stepping in."

"Amen," Veronica laughs. "I quite like my face."

 _-Hallway-_

Yawning, I stretch and roll into a warm body occupying the bed space beside me.

"Mmm," I hum, snuggling deeper into the warm flesh. Peering through my tangled hair, I smile as Garrett groans and pulls me closer into his side.

"Morning, beautiful." He mutters, voice raspy with sleep.

"I could get used to this," I tell him, throwing my leg over his. Smiling, Garrett leans down and captures my lips in a searing kiss.

"Me too," he mutters, lashes lifting to reveal his heated gaze.

Heart hammering in my chest, I tug him until his hips are settled between my parted knees. "You're so beautiful," he murmurs, ducking his head to suck firmly at the pulse in my throat.

"God," I gasp, lifting my hips to his. "So are you."

Smiling, Garrett begins a slow descent down my body. "I'm hungry," he murmurs as his tongue gently laves my nipple. "I think I'll eat you for breakfast."

Gasping in need, I lift my hips and press down on his shoulders, guiding him to where I need him the most. His lips are just leaving a hot trail down my pubic bone when the doorbell rings.

"Fuck," I gasp, dropping my hips to the bed in disappointment.

"Ignore it." Garrett says, pressing my legs open and swiping his tongue along the center of my sex.

"Shit," I gasp, eyes rolling back in pleasure. "I-I have to answer it. It-It might be important."

"Fine," he mutters, sucking noisily at my inner thigh. "But you better get your ass back in here soon. I'm not done with you yet."

Grinning from ear to ear, I slip on my robe and bound to the front door. Rumpled and panting, I swing the door open and frown at the person on the other side.

"Did I catch you at a bad time?" Edward remarks, surveying my disheveled form with a frown.

"Yes," I quip, ushering him inside. "Just get your computer and go."

Scowling, Edward sighs before shuffling into the office and coming out with his laptop a moment later. "Thanks," Edward says, lifting the laptop up in acknowledgment. "I'll be out of your hair now."

"Edward – wait," I say, the guilt from yesterday finally catching up to me. He pauses stiffly in the doorway and slowly pivots to face me. "About yesterday… My sister. She shouldn't have said that to Bella."

"What?" Edward's face changes in an instant. No longer disinterested, he glares at me with a mixture of confusion and anger. "Said what to Bella?"

"You know…" I sigh, uncomfortable at admitting my fault in the ordeal. "She shouldn't have implied that you're still interested in me. We both know that's not true. I'm sorry if it… made any unnecessary waves in your… uh, relationship."

"Fuck," Edward exclaims, tearing his fingers through his hair. "What exactly did Veronica say to her?"

"That you're constantly blowing up my phone." I shrug. "It's true, but not for the reasons that she implied."

"Fuck," Edward repeats. "That's fucking great." The anger in his eyes instantly melts into misery.

"Look, I said I'm sorry." I snap, feeling defensive after seeing the look he just gave me.

"I know," Edward sighs. "Thanks, um, for the laptop."

"Right," I shrug. "It's no problem."

Frowning, Edward nods and slips out of the door. Standing in the foyer, I contemplate what I just witnessed. He seemed pretty upset about the situation. However, I can't find it in me to feel sorry for him. Shrugging it off, I skip back to the bedroom and throw myself on top of Garrett.

After all, I did promise him breakfast.

* * *

 **Hope you all had a happy Halloween! What did you guys do? I spent mine eating candy and recovering from a damned cold on the couch.**

 **Anyway, we just got some much-needed insight on the Edward/Angela front. What do you guys think? She's really changed since the start of the story, huh? What do you think made her apologize to Edward there at the end? Do you think it was genuine? Did she actually take the blame for her actions?**

 **Ah, you might hate them, but I _love_ this characters! Next chapter will be up tomorrow. Predictions, anyone?**

 **xo**


	23. twenty-three

**twenty-three**

* * *

 _The Best Friend_

* * *

Feeling like I've just been hit by a mac truck, I slowly peel my eyes open. My lashes are so clumped together that it takes some effort to get them to unstick, as if they've been glued together. And they have been – glued together with my tears.

"Fuck," I groan, rolling onto my stomach and stuffing my head under my pillow. The pounding in my skull is so severe it feels like it's shaking my room around me. Fighting back nausea, I drag myself out of bed and down the hall. Peering into the fridge, I grab a Gatorade and throw myself face-down onto the couch.

Every part of me aches.

My fingers fumble with the bottle cap, clumsily dropping it with a plop on the floor. Greedy fingers shake as I hold the bottle to my mouth. Lips tug into a sharp frown as my nose catches a whiff of the artificial flavoring. The smell alone causes a wave of nausea to turn to my stomach. Scrambling to my feet, I barely make it to the toilet in time to lose the contents of my stomach.

Wiping my face and mouth on a towel, I crawl back into the living room and pull myself up onto the couch. My eyes survey in the contents of my purse, which is spilled out all over the coffee table. Underneath a wad of cash, my phone lights up; signaling a new text message.

 _Answer your door,_ the message states. My mouth drops open when I realize who sent it.

Like a scene straight out of a cheesy movie, I have only seconds to process this before a knock sounds at my front door. Glancing down at myself, I sigh. I'm wearing a big, holey concert t-shirt and underwear. Certainly not the most presentable of attire, but I'm too tired to change so this will have to do.

Numb legs carry me to the front door. Trembling fingers unlatch the lock. It seems like the door swings open in slow-motion, revealing a half-crazed Edward hovering just beyond the threshold.

"Jesus," he mutters, eyes assessing my train wreck-like appearance. "Are you alright?"

This is the first time I've seen him in over a month and he's asking me this? Of course, I'm not alright. I want to tell him this but I'm in such a dream-like state at his sudden appearance that I'm afraid I might pass out.

"C-Come in." I manage to say, backing up until my thighs hit my entryway table with an audible clatter.

"Fuck, Bella." Edward sighs, watching me concern coloring his features. "Have you had any water? You need to hydrate. And eat something."

Scowling, I watch him disappear into my kitchen. This is rich. He thinks it's cool to just show up out of nowhere and act like he cares about my wellbeing after going ghost on me for a month. Anger boils under my skin and propels me into the kitchen, forcing those words off of my tongue in a furious rush.

Stilling with his head in the fridge, Edward sighs. "I know." His voice is soft. Resigned.

"Why are you here, Ed?" I ask, voice sharp, clear. The remnants of my hangover abandoned. It's not important. Not right now.

"I-" he starts, stopping to clear his throat. "Angela told me what happened last night. I need to clear the air."

"So, you two _are_ getting back together then?" I can't help the emotion that clogs my throat. I was expecting this, but it's another thing to have your suspicions confirmed. Miserable doesn't even come close to describing how I feel.

"No," Edward says, sliding me a cup of water over the kitchen counter. "Not even fucking close."

"Veronica seemed to think otherwise." I snap, grabbing the cup and draining its contents.

"She was lashing out at you. She was trying to hurt you, hurt _us_ , Bella."

"What _us_?" The sarcasm in my voice is thick, acidic.

Silence fills the room. Edward's eyes close sharply, pain clearly etched in his features.

"I screwed up," Edward sighs, voice ragged. "I'm sorry. I should have told you what was going on in my head a month ago. Instead, I left you in the dark. It's my fault that you were so easily convinced by what Veronica said."

"Why?" I ask. I don't know what else to say.

"I…" Edward sighs, shaking his head. "I needed some time to myself. I needed to get my life back in order. Last time – when we were together – I lost myself in you. In our relationship. So, when it ended, I was destroyed. I… I couldn't take that chance again. It would end me."

Frowning, I glance away from his deep green eyes, which implore me to listen. Implore me to understand and forgive. "You can't understand what that did to me, Ed." Tears well in my eyes as I experience echoes of the pain, the confusion. "I didn't know what I did – or didn't do – to deserve your silence. Nobody was talking to me – not even Emmett. And _Alice_. Alice _called me_. You can't know how much it hurt to hear her voice again, only to have her accuse me of screwing up your life again."

"I'm sorry," Edward says, voice thick with emotion. "I was stupid to think shutting you out was a good idea. It wasn't. All it did was screw up our relationship even more."

"What hurts the most," I continue, tears now flowing freely down my cheeks. "Is that despite all of this, I still love you. I am so, so pathetic."

"I'm sorry," Edward repeats. "I didn't mean to hurt you. Believe me when I say this, Bella, I love you, too. If anyone is pathetic, it's me. I wasn't man enough to face you and tell you what is going on in my head."

At his words, the hope that had previously drained from my body returns. Inside my chest, my heart thrums back to life. Its harsh, unsteady thumps accompanied by the pins-and-needles feeling that characterizes a limb upon waking.

"Can we start over?" He asks, stepping around my kitchen island to wipe the tears from my cheeks with the pads of his thumbs.

"I don't know," I reply, closing my eyes to block out the onset of a fresh round of tears.

"Can we at least try?" Edward implores, gentle fingers stroking sticky strands of hair away from my face. "I promise, Bella, that I will work on my communication skills. I won't ever leave you in the dark like that again."

At my silence, he continues. "I will love you, unconditionally, despite your faults. Despite my faults. Like I have since the moment I saw you all those years ago."

Unconsciously, I turn my face into his palm. I can't help it. I want to push him away. I want to scream and yell and hit him for blocking me out. I want to tell him to shove his pretty words up his ass. Instead, I inhale the scent of his skin. Dopamine fills every nook and cranny of my brain. He is the most potent of drugs. One whiff is all it takes to push me off the wagon.

"Yes," I whisper against his skin. His fingers tighten in my hair as he exhales a sigh of relief.

"Thank you." Edward's voice is soft, wistful, grateful. My heart pumps out blood tainted with Edward-induced intoxication. It sizzles and burns through my veins, infecting every inch of my body. "Slow," Edward murmurs as he pulls me into his arms. "We'll go slow this time."

"Okay," I gasp against his throat. "Slow."

* * *

 **Thoughts? Let me know in the reviews!**

 **Only a few more chapters to go. See you tomorrow!**

 **xo**


	24. twenty-four

**twenty-four**

* * *

 _The Best Friend_

* * *

"Did you hear?" Mom says, wiping her sudsy hands on her pants as she steps out of the kitchen.

"Hear what?" Dad answers for me, barely looking up from the newspaper he has draped over his lap. "You're a revolving door of gossip, hon. It's hard to keep up."

At dad's comment, mom rolls her eyes but settles on the arm of his chair nonetheless. "I wasn't talking to you, darling." She says, patting dad's shoulder before pinning me with her warm gaze. "Did you hear about Edward?"

"What about him?" I probe, playing stupid.

"His engagement. It's been dissolved." Mom's face and tone gives nothing away.

"Humph," Dad grunts. "Could have seen that coming from a mile away. Not enough history to keep those two together."

"Shame," mom mutters, still pinning me to the couch with her unblinking stare. "They would have made beautiful babies."

"Beautiful, crazy babies." I add, inspecting my cuticles.

"Every woman is crazy in their own way." Dad's voice is colored with humor as he makes this statement.

"I prefer passionate," mom corrects, face pulled into a sour scowl. After a moment of silence, she continues. "You don't know anything about this, Bella?"

"I know a thing or two." I shrug.

"Nice," mom nods, frowning in distaste. "Are you going to keep evading my questions?"

"Are you going to keep asking me questions?" I counter her question with a question.

"Yes."

"Yes." I repeat, grinning at her huff of frustration.

"I can't stand you sometimes," mom cries in frustration. Despite her harsh words, I can tell that she's partly joking. Getting up in a huff, mom disappears into the kitchen.

"You shouldn't tease your mother so much." Is dad's parting remark as he unfolds himself from his armchair and wanders into the sanctity of his man cave down the hall.

"Mom!" I laugh, following her distraught form. "Come on."

"No, you come on." She counters, hands on her hips. "Why are you so reluctant to talk to me? Am I going to have to torture this information out of you?"

"No." I chuckle. "And you couldn't torture me even if you tried." After an uncomfortable pause, I continue. "I don't know…" I trail off, scratching at the back of my neck. "It's just… it's pretty new... and we… we're taking it slow." At my admission, mom squeals. "Please," I half laugh, half sigh. "Don't start freaking out, now."

"I knew it." Mom says, face splitting open into a wide grin. "I _so_ knew it!"

"Yes, yes, we're very predictable." Rolling my eyes, I wave her off.

"God, if only Lizzie was here to see this," mom murmurs, eyes shiny, wistful.

"Ha!" I laugh, shaking my head. "She'd give Edward and I a good smack to the back of the head for how stupid we've been."

"Thanks for the reminder." Mom smirks before giving me a good thwack in the aforementioned spot. "Tell Edward I owe him one, too."

 _-Hallway-_

"We're going out to lunch today?" Victoria asks, nose scrunched in confusion.

"Yeah," I shrug, shouldering on my purse. "Edward wants us to meet him at the café down the street."

"Ugh," Victoria groans. "Third wheel – again? No thanks."

"Hm," I hum, shooting her a mischievous side-eye. "I guess you'll have to meet the friend Edward brought along some other time, then."

"He brought a friend?!" She exclaims. "Is he as hot as Edward is? If so, I'm down. Down for lunch. Down to fuck. Whatever. Same difference."

"Hussy," I chuckle, depressing the down button for the elevator. "He's pretty cute."

"Cute?" Victoria groans, nose scrunched in disgust. "Cute just makes me think of Golden Retrievers. Nobody wants to fuck a Golden Retriever."

"Chill," I laugh, following her into the elevator. "Emmett is great. Tall, dark hair, dimples. You'll like him."

"Hm," Victoria hums, tapping a long nail against her pursed lips. "Did you say dimples?"

 _-Hallway-_

The café down the street is bustling with easy, lunchtime energy as we walk through the door. Scanning the restaurant, a smile instantly lights up my face the moment my eyes fall on Edward. Sitting at a table set for four, he looks absolutely delicious in his fitted, gray pinstripe suit.

"Shit," Victoria curses beside me. "Is that him?"

"Yeah, why?" My curiosity morphs to concern after seeing the uncomfortable strain in her features.

"I kind of already know him."

Frowning, I open my mouth to ask for clarification but the air is pushed out of my lungs by one of Emmett's crushing hugs. "Hottie!" Emmett exclaims, twirling me in his arms before setting me back on my feet. "I missed you."

"Ditto," I smile. "Em, this is my friend, Victoria. Vic – this is Edward's friend, Emmett."

"Victoria?" Emmett frowns, brows pulled together in confusion. "You told me your name was Rose."

On the spot, all Victoria can do is shrug. "I was wasted." She supplies as her explanation.

"You gave me the wrong number, by the way." Emmett continues, escorting us to our table in the back of the restaurant.

"Hm," Victoria shrugs again. "Must have mixed up a few of the numbers. My bad. Like I said – totally wasted."

By now, we've reached our table. As we arrive, Edward gingerly jumps up and pulls me into his arms. "Hi," he murmurs against my temple. "You look beautiful today."

"You, too." I sigh against his throat, greedily inhaling his scent. Smiling, Edward pulls back just enough to land a soft kiss against the apple of my cheek. Just that small contact is enough to flip my stomach.

"So, _Rose_ ," Emmett starts after we've all settled in at the table.

"It's Victoria." Victoria corrects, eyes rolling skyward.

"I prefer Rose." Emmett counters.

"Well, that's not my name. That's a grandma name. In fact, it's _my_ grandma's name."

Scowling, Emmett continues. "So, _Tori_ , are you actually going to give me your _real_ phone number now that you know our friends are friends."

"No," Victoria states, eyes taking a leisurely scan of the menu.

"God, you're cold." Emmett whines, frowning at his water glass.

"And you're annoying."

"How about them Astros?!" Edward exclaims, face pulled into an uncomfortable smile.

Needless to say, there are no double-dates planned with Emmett in the future.

 _-Hallway-_

"That was awkward," Edward murmurs later that night. Sighing, I turn my head so that he has better access to my hair. Fingers twisting through the strands, he continues. "Em seems to really like your friend. Did you find out what happened?"

"Nah," I shrug. "Vic didn't want to talk about it. She seemed pretty annoyed by it all."

"Weird."

Surrounded by comfortable silence, we fall into each other on my couch. Limbs entwined, we scroll through Netflix together, debating our choices. After a few minutes of deliberation, we settle on a comedy.

Ten minutes in, Edward stretches his arm around me and sighs. "What?" I ask, biting into my lip when I realize that he's staring at me while wearing this goofy ass grin.

"Nothing," he sighs, eyes glittering beneath heavy lashes. "It's just…" He starts, licking his lips as his eyes drop to mine. "I could spend the rest of my life doing this."

"Me, too." I murmur, feeling the stirrings of excitement fill my stomach.

"I know I said slow," Edward mutters, eyes fixated on my mouth. "But I don't think I can go another day without kissing you."

He doesn't even wait for my response before he's on me – not that I'm complaining. His mouth is warm, soft, familiar against my lips. The kiss is slow to progress, but filled with the intense need that possess us both. Feather-light pecks give way to deeper, open-mouth kisses. By the time his tongue slips through my lips, I'm already shaking with barely restrained need.

"Fuck," Edward groans after a few minutes of heavy kissing. "We need to stop."

"Why?" I whine, lurching across the couch to cover his body with my own. "I need you." I sigh, groaning when our lower halves align.

"Slow." Edward rasps against my neck, hands contradicting his statement as they bunch my top up. Wild with want, I yank it the rest of the way over my head, revealing my bare torso underneath. "Fuck," Edward groans, dropping his forehead to my sternum. "You're killing me right now."

"Please." I gasp, rocking myself against the bulge protruding from his lap. "Please."

Edward's breath fans over my chest as he sighs. His hands, which had been laying limply on the couch beside his thighs, crawl up my legs and firmly grasp my hips. Slowly, he guides my rocking; rubbing me against him in the most delicious way.

"You're making this so very hard on me, Bella." His voice is low, raspy, intoxicated.

"Then, let me make it easy for you." I quip, quickly standing up to wriggle free from my pants. Lips parted, Edward's hot gaze watches me uncover more naked skin.

"Fuck," he groans, hands skimming my thighs as I settle back onto his lap.

"Touch me." I demand, guiding his hands up my body and placing them over my chest. Eyes deadly serious, Edward observes my reactions to his small, experimental squeezes before diving in to capture my left nipple between his teeth.

"Shit," I groan, grabbing handfuls of his silken hair. His teeth are followed by his tongue, which gently laps away the sting and pulls the tip deeper into his mouth for a sharp, toe-curling suck.

Prying my fingers out of his hair, he carefully works his way down my body. His lips cover every inch of me, tongue laving over every freckle. "Beautiful," he groans, nudging his nose against my belly button.

Heart hammering in my chest, I eagerly part my legs. Offering myself to him. Tongue trapped between his teeth, Edward grasps the back of my knees and yanks me open even more. Muscles straining, I almost scream when he drags a hard, probing lick from slit to clit.

"Wet. Already." Edward groans, eyes fogged with lust as his speech is reduced to caveman sentences. It was always like this with him. We were both so wrapped up in each other that we could hardly think. Let alone speak.

"Fuck!" I cry out as he slips two fingers inside of me. "Please."

Fumbling with his shorts, Edward twists and pumps his fingers inside of me. Gasping and wriggling, I stretch my legs to their limits, trying to give him as much access as possible.

"Ugh, now." Edward groans, falling against me with his shorts trapped around his knees. "You. I need you."

"Please." I gasp, lifting my lips in encouragement and fisting the short hair at the back of his neck. Groaning, Edward firmly grasps and guides himself inside of me.

"Shit," we both groan at our reunion. What we had two years ago was good. Better than good. But this… this is out of this world. We fit together seamlessly, snugly. And the need that flows between us is feverish, nearly tangible.

"So long," Edward pants between forceful thrusts. Groaning, I nod in agreement as my fingernails tear at his shirt, searching for the soft, pliant flesh underneath. "Waited for so long." Groaning, he hikes my legs over his shoulders and dives back in, hips slapping against mine in deep, hard thrusts. "So good."

With the change of position, the fluttering in my stomach ramps up. Gasping, my hands scramble over the surface of the couch, knocking the remote to the floor. As if he can read my mind, Edward speeds up his thrusts and gives me exactly what I need. Thumb rubbing tight circles around my clit, Edward closes his fist around my throat.

Instantly, I burst.

My cries are loud and jerky as I come down, body being jostled by Edward's now erratic thrusts. "Shit," he groans, hips seizing and jerking as he empties inside of me.

Limbs tangled together, we lay still for a moment in an attempt to catch our breath. "Wow," Edward sighs, shifting off of me and onto the floor.

"Yeah." My voice is low, raspy from misuse.

"That escalated quickly."

Grinning, I loll my head to the side to look at him. With his hair flopped over his forehead and eyes shining bright, he is absolutely gorgeous.

"I liked it."

The smile that spreads across his face takes my breath away. It makes me want to kiss him. So, I do. Again, and again.

* * *

 **Hi All - we're quickly approaching the end here! What do you guys think? Will they last?**

 **Thanks, as always, for the love. I'll have the next chapter up by Monday. Hope you all have a great weekend!**

 **xo**


	25. twenty-five

**twenty-five**

* * *

 _The Best Friend_

* * *

"No, I get it." I sigh, fisting my hair in frustration.

"I don't." Is Edward's angry response. "The reason that we're in this shitty situation is no longer applicable."

Frowning, I nod. "You're right."

"She needs to get over herself." Edward growls. "It wasn't even her place to get involved like that in the first place. She had no reason to cut you off like that. I sure as shit didn't ask her to. Neither did Jasper."

"Trust me," I sigh, "you're preaching to the choir, babe."

"I'm going to call Jasper back."

"No, no!" I start, not wanting to cause any more unnecessary drama. "Leave it, please."

"No." Edward's voice is deadly serious. "I've let this go on for way too long."

My eyes close, as if in pain, as the line goes dead. Despite my objections, I _do_ agree with Edward. Alice had no business getting involved in Edward and I's relationship and her disowning me as a friend was totally unwarranted. Especially now that Edward and I are back together. It doesn't make any sense.

Then again, most things in life rarely do.

 _-Hallway-_

"Relax," Edward murmurs, squeezing my hand reassuringly.

"I'm trying." I sigh. "I feel like I'm about to jump out of my skin."

"I see this." Edward chuckles, stopping our trek through the parking lot. Expression serious, Edward turns me to face him. "Come here. Just breathe."

Fighting back the urge to roll my eyes, I take in a deep breath to appease him.

"Another." He commands. My lungs fill in an instant.

"Another." He repeats. With my third breath, the tension that fills my limbs retreats minutely.

"Better?" He asks as the last bit of air whispers out from between my lips.

"A little." I admit, rolling my head around on my neck. Dropping my eyes from his concerned ones, I can't help but eye his luscious lips. "A kiss might help."

Smiling, Edward eagerly obliges.

"Let's do this." I state after our lips slowly separate.

"Okay," Edward smiles. "Let's do this."

Hand-in-hand, we pass through the automatic doors of the hospital. Jittery with nerves, I practically drag Edward to the check-in area and then to the elevators. Standing in the compact space of the elevator car, I start to feel the nervous energy press in on me.

"She's going to be pissed." I tell Edward as I scrutinize my reflection in the mirrored doors.

"Let her be pissed." Edward answers as we reach our destination.

I feel like I'm on the set of an anxiety-ridden thriller as the walls press in on me. Barely keeping the nerves at bay, I stumble after Edward. He glances back at me, brows puckered with worry, when we reach the end of the hallway.

"It's just here." He motions to the door on the right.

"I think I'll wait for you out here." I wrap my arms around myself, chickening out. "I can't go in there. She's going to be so mad."

"Bella, no." Edward sighs. "I know you're scared, but this needs to be done. This feud that she's created is ridiculous. It's keeping you from your friends. From _our_ friends."

"I _know_." I frown. "But is _now_ the time? I mean, this is her special day. She _just_ had a baby. I'm the last person she wants to see. Trust me. I know Alice. She hates when people rain on her parade."

Just as Edward is opening his mouth to respond, the door beside us opens. Edward and I glance sharply to our left, startled yet relieved to see Katherine Whitlock ducking into the hall.

"Oh!" She exclaims, visibly startled by our presence. However, the smile that spreads across her face reveals her pleasure. "Edward, Isabella! It's so good to see you two!"

"Kate," Edward grins. "Likewise. You're looking as lovely as ever."

Smirking, Katherine leans up to plant a kiss on his cheek before turning to address me. "Isabella, can you control him? He's much too young and handsome to be flirting with the likes of me."

"Impossible." I smile, leaning into her warm, motherly hug. "Edward does as he pleases."

"So I've heard." Katherine nods knowingly. "I always thought you two made a beautiful couple. Congratulations – I hope it is more successful than your last relationship, Edward, dear." Smiling kindly, she grips my hands reassuringly. "She won't be happy to see you – at first – but she'll warm up. She's way too happy to stay mad at you. If you need to make a hasty retreat, I'll be outside having a smoke – find me."

Nodding, I squeeze her hands in thanks and turn to watch her willowy form glide gracefully down the hall. "She's great." I sigh as she disappears into the elevator.

"She is." Edward nods, arm sliding around my waist. "Shall we?"

Swallowing back nerves, I nod solemnly. "We shall."

The moment the door opens, all eyes swivel in our direction. Smiles instantly bloom on faces. All except one. It's now that I begin to fully understand what they mean by if looks could kill…

"No." Alice says, voice low, serious as she slowly shakes her head. Hair loosely tied in a bun and under eyes smudged with mascara, she somehow makes post-childbirth chaos look fashionable. Beyond that, she might as well be spitting flames.

"Hon," Jasper starts. "But they're already here."

"No." Alice repeats, face stony and eyes wicked. "He can stay. She leaves."

"Be reasonable, nena." Carmen, Alice's mom, murmurs, glancing up from the bundle swaddled in baby blue held in her arms. "It's good to see you, Edward, Bella." Her eyes soften and crinkle around the edges when she turns them on me. "We've missed you." _Our daughter misses you_ , her eyes say.

I bite my lip and duck my head. _I miss her too._

Huffing, Alice shifts on the bed and crosses her arms. "Fine." After a moment, she continues. "Just… just don't talk to me."

"Ay Bendito!" Carmen exclaims. "Stop the complaining. Your friends are here, be happy. Smile –" She's interrupted by a wail from the bundle. "Your son." Carmen murmurs, eyebrows raised as she hands the bundle to Alice.

"Are you hungry, baby?" Alice coos, face instantly transforming. Smiling, she uncovers herself and guides the baby to her chest.

"Perfect," Carmen remarks, watching her grandson latch on with a faint smile on her face. "You're a natural, Alicia."

Full-blown grinning now, Alice adjusts the blanket around her son and shrugs her shoulders. "Must get it from you, ma."

We all settle into silence. Comfortable on their end. Uncertain on ours. Edward's hand wraps around mine reassuringly. I twist our fingers together. He glides his finger along my wrist. The ground underneath me solidifies.

"Hey," Jasper murmurs, stepping over to join us. "Glad you two could make it."

"Happy to be here." Edward responds.

"He's beautiful, Jasper." I sigh, glancing over to where Alice is whispering to her nursing son. "I'm so happy for you. For you both."

"Thank you, Bella." Jasper smiles softly. "It means a lot – you being here. To us both."

Nodding, I tear my eyes away from his. The floor under my feet is white. Clean. It should be. We're in a hospital after all.

"What name did you guys settle on?" Edward inquires, adjusting his glasses as he peers at Jasper.

"Emerson." Jasper answers.

My eyes instantly snap to where Alice rests on the bed. She's looking at me, too, face giving nothing away. "Emerson James Whitlock?" My voice is soft, reverent, questioning.

"EJ," Jasper shrugs. "A man's name."

Blinking back my emotions, I'm locked into Alice's unblinking stare and transported back in time.

" _What do you think of Emerson?" I ask, peering at her over my textbook. "I just saw it here. Some researcher from who-the-fuck-cares."_

" _What about it?" Alice replies, barely looking up from her laptop._

" _For a baby."_

" _Are you pregnant?" Alice's eyebrows disappear into her hairline. She acts sassy because she hates to admit that this is a regular conversation for us. We love to brainstorm potential baby names. It's our thing._

" _I hope not."_

" _Boy or girl?"_

" _Girl." I shrug. "Or boy. I think it works for both."_

" _I like it for a boy. Emerson James – I hate EJ, but I love the way the two names flow off the tongue." She shrugs. "Let me add it to my list."_

" _No!" I exclaim, grabbing her hand before she can snatch up her phone and add it to the list of baby names she stores in her notes. "I found it. That means its mine. You can't add it to your list. That's the rules."_

" _What rules?" Alice laughs, wriggling her hand free. "I don't remember coming up with any rules for this game."_

" _Maybe there aren't rules." I concede. "But there_ is _respect."_

" _I_ respect _that you like the name." Alice says, eyes serious. "And I respect you enough to tell you this – may the best woman win."_

" _Best woman?" I laugh. "Win what?"_

" _Win the name."_

" _Are we battling for it? What is it this time? I beat you in the last two thumb wars."_

" _No." Alice smirks. "Whoever gets pregnant first wins the name."_

" _You're ridiculous." I chuckle. "But, okay. Game on."_

Blinking back the memories, I shake my head and let out a low chuckle. "Best woman." The words are out, past my lips, before I can stop them.

Across the room, Alice adjusts her son and glances up at me. Lips pinched together, she suppresses a smile and shrugs her shoulders. "I won."

Nodding, I full-on laugh now and swing my eyes over to Edward. He's staring at me with the strangest look on his face. Brows drawn together, he shakes his head. "What?" he mouths, fighting a smile.

Grinning, I tuck myself into his side. "We're going to be okay." I murmur against his throat.

Chuckling, Edward pulls me in deeper. Hands flat against my lower back, he ducks his head and kisses my temple. "I know."

And we are. Okay, I mean.

* * *

 **Hi all - sorry about the absence. RL has been killing me, but I promise I will bring this story to a close! Just a few more chapters left.**

 **What did you guys think? Let me know in the comments.**

 **As always, thank you so much for the love. I really appreciate you unwavering support. Expect another update tomorrow. (:**

 **xo**


	26. twenty-six

**twenty-six**

* * *

 _The Best Friend_

* * *

"Not another minute!" I pant, stepping down from the Stairmaster and wiping the sweat from my brow. "You're fucking killing me, Vic."

"You're now in a relationship," she puffs, "so I refuse to let you get complacent. You worked hard for that body."

Frowning, I rub my hand towel down my moist chest. "And I need to work _harder_ to keep it? That doesn't make sense to me. And when have you ever been concerned about my physique? Let alone yours?"

Victoria's eyes jerk away and fix themselves on the mirror in front of us. Expression guarded, she continues to ruthlessly climb. "Fine. Do what you want."

"Vic…" I murmur, stepping closer to her machine. "What's up? What's going on?"

"Nothing." She snaps, punching the button to turn the machine off and dismounting with a huff. "Forget it. Let's go – I need to go to the grocery store before it closes."

"Wait!" I call, practically stumbling over myself to catch up with her long strides. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you – if that's what I did."

"You didn't." Victoria sighs, turning to face me once we make it into the women's locker room. "I'm just…" she starts, reaching up to tighten her ponytail. "I'm a little on edge right now and I realized just now that I've been projecting my insecurities onto you."

"C'mon, Vic." I murmur, grasping her hands in mine. "Talk to me. You know I won't judge. Especially after all you've been through with me."

After a tense pause with me staring at her imploringly and her chewing her lip thoughtfully, she sighs. "Okay." She closes her eyes and shakes her head before blurting out her next words in a rush. "I've kind of been seeing Emmett."

"Wait, what?" I laugh. "Did I just hear you say that you're seeing Emmett?"

"Don't make me repeat myself." She whines. "It's bad enough having to admit it once."

"Bad?" I hold myself back from throttling her. "Emmett is one of the most genuine guys I have ever met. Yeah, he's a little goofy but that is by no means bad. I don't know why you'd be embarrassed to admit this."

"I'm not embarrassed." Victoria insists. "I'm just…" She sighs. "I'm just… okay, I'm embarrassed." At my annoyed look, she rushes to clarify. "But not for the reason you think!"

"Oh?" I accuse. "Then, please, by all means enlighten me."

"Okay, first," Victoria interjects, "cool it with the attitude. Not appreciated. Especially after you just did this whole song and dance to me about not judging. Second, I'm not embarrassed because I think he's below me or something. I'm embarrassed because I treated him so badly initially and now we're together. It makes me look like a loon."

"I'll admit, I am a little bit confused about that." I shrug. "You seemed adamant in your dislike of him. And now you two are a thing."

" _Sort of_ a thing." She emphasizes. "But yeah. This exactly explains why I am embarrassed. Emmett is great – perfect, even. I see this now. And god do I wish I saw it then, when I was blatantly being a bitch."

"Welcome to my world." I laugh, nudging her playfully.

"Shit," she gasps, scrambling to gather her belongings after catching a glimpse of the time on her watch. "I need to get out of here. I told Emmett I'd meet him at mine five minutes ago."

"Hah!" I snort. "Groceries – my ass!"

 _-Hallway-_

"I'm trying to get dressed!" I cry, giggling as I try to wriggle free from Edward's groping hands. Chuckling, Edward withdraws his hands and drops a kiss to my naked shoulder.

"Sorry," His breath chills my skin as he kisses a trail up my neck. "You're just too hard to resist."

"Well," I gulp, pulling my towel around me more securely. "Try to. We're already thirty minutes late to your thing."

"Who cares." Edward murmurs, nuzzling my neck. "Let's skip it and stay in bed. I can think of plenty of things we can do instead. _Better_ things."

"Mmmm," I hum, maintaining a white-knuckle grip on my towel. "Tempting… but we already paid for our plates. Might as well go rub elbows with your old fraternity brothers."

"Ugh," Edward groans. "Why must you be so responsible?"

"It's a blessing and a curse." I murmur, reaching up on my toes to land a kiss on his neck. "Now let me get dressed. I want you to be proud to have me on your arm."

"I'm always proud to have you on my arm." He replies instantly, eyes crinkling with happiness, affection, love. My chest warms. Our lips meet.

"I love you," I sigh.

"I love you, too." He grins.

 _-Hallway-_

"Let's play a game." I tell Edward, fresh drink in hand. "Drink every time we talk to a doctor, politician, or lawyer."

"Hah!" Edward laughs. "Stay on my arm and you'll be drinking all night."

"Not an unpleasant idea," I frown thoughtfully.

"It's actually not as bad as I thought it would be."

Raising my eyebrows, I tip my glass in his direction. "Free drinks," I warble around a mouthful of martini. "You won't catch me complaining."

"Drunk ass." Edward chuckles, dropping a kiss to my temple. "Oh," He exclaims, spotting something over my shoulder. "Oh, shit, babe! Come on." Grasping my forearm, he hauls me after him. Teetering on my heels, I struggle to keep up with his long-legged strides. Stumbling, I almost hurtle into his chest when he comes to an abrupt stop.

"Dude!" He exclaims, releasing my arm so he can do that whole bro-hug clap on the back thing with a tall brunette. "Long fucking time."

"Cullen!" The brunette exclaims, grinning from ear to ear. "Still as good looking as ever. This your lady?"

"Yeah," Edward smirks, pulling me forward. "Derek, this is Bella. Bella – Derek."

"Pleasure," I smile, shaking Derek's proffered hand.

"Likewise," He grins, eyes sparkling with good humor. "Say, Edward, you still in law?"

Frowning, I step into Edward's side, and take a huge gulp of my drink as I watch their conversation volley back and forth. Flitting my eyes across the room, I observe the other men in the ballroom. My face splits into a wide grin when my eyes land on a familiar face.

"Hey, Ed!" I interrupt, eagerly grasping Edward's arm. "Isn't that Ben over there? By the bar?" When he and I make eye contact, I nod my head toward the bar where Ben stands amongst a group of similarly dressed guys.

"What?" Edward says, glancing toward where I motioned to with my head. "Oh, yeah! It is Ben."

"I'm going to go say hello." I tell him, patting his wrist.

"Okay, babe." Edward smiles, "I'll meet you over there."

Weaving through throngs of people, I sidle up to Ben. Tapping his shoulder, I grin in anticipation of his reaction to seeing me. However, the grin dies when he turns to face me and his eyes widen in panic.

"B-Bella?" He stutters out, eyes flitting over my shoulder to scan the room nervously. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm with Edward?" I reply, raising my brows in confusion.

"Shit," he mutters, tossing back the rest of his drink. "I better… I don't know… Fuck…" He starts and stops several sentences, biting into his bottom lip nervously.

"Ben, what's wrong?" I ask, frowning in confusion.

"Bella, I don't know how to say this…" He starts, fidgeting nervously.

"Ben!" Edward exclaims, swooping in on our awkward conversation. "My fucking boy!"

"Edward," Ben replies, hesitantly slapping Edward on the back. "I… It's good to see you."

"Likewise, brother," Edward grins. "What're you drinking? Let me get the next round."

"I…" Ben starts before his eyes widen to the size of saucers. Frowning, I twist to see what Ben's looking at over my shoulder.

"Fuck," I bite out, watching the last person I'd like to see on earth make their way toward us.

"I…" Ben repeats, scrubbing his hand through his hair.

"Shit, man, when did you get married?" Edward exclaims, pointing to the gold band on the fourth finger of Ben's left hand.

"I…" He starts again, grimacing and looking away.

"Last week." A voice clarifies. The last voice I'd like to hear on earth.

"Wait, what?" Edward says, face genuinely confused. We both watch in awe as Angela sidles up to Ben and tucks herself under his arm. Smirking, Angela thrusts her hand forward to show off her set of rings. Two gold bands, both dripping in diamonds.

"I… uh," Edward starts, looking to me for help. Frowning, I shrug as if to say, 'I don't know, either.' Lips pursed, Edward continues nevertheless. "I guess congratulations are in order."

"Thank you." Ben murmurs stiffly, smile fixed uncomfortably on his face.

"I didn't realize you two knew each other." I add, saying the words both Edward and I are thinking. His arm, which was draped around my shoulders, tightens ever so slightly.

"Isn't it nice, hon?" Angela smiles, eyes shooting flames at us while she addresses her new husband. "When people do the unexpected?"

"I need a drink." Ben stutters. "Let's get a drink, Angela."

Grinning, Angela wiggles her fingers at us in parting. Frowning, Ben mouths 'sorry' before towing his psycho wife to the bar.

"Well." Edward says after a pregnant pause.

"Well." I repeat, completely flummoxed by the situation.

"Want to get out of here?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

 **Hi all - happy Tuesday! I hope you all enjoyed Chapter 26 (: What do you guys think about Victoria x Emmett? Before you freak - she's supposed to be a Rose/Victoria hybrid character so it's pretty much canon. What about Angela? Let me know in the comments!**

 **See you tomorrow!**

 **xo**


	27. twenty-seven

**Hi all - I'm so sorry for the delay in posting. RL is hectic with teaching and going to school. Unfortunately, that means updates are going to sporadic. That being said, the story will come to a close eventually. I have it all planned out, I just have to put it all in writing! Enjoy!**

 **twenty-seven**

* * *

 _The Prize_

* * *

The Uber pulls to a stop in front of Bella's apartment.

"Thanks, man." Bella murmurs, leaning up between the front seats to address the driver. "Drive safe out there."

Smiling, she grabs her discarded shoes off the floor and ducks out onto the street. I follow close behind her, watching as she adjusts her dress and flips her wild hair over her shoulders. "Are you coming?" She sasses, glancing at me over her shoulder with a coy smile. My heart swells in my chest. I'm so lucky.

"Right behind you, babe." I answer lowly, watching her ass as she ascends the stairs to her apartment building.

"Mm," she hums as we slip into the elevator. "I like the sound of that."

"I like the sound of you." I quip smartly. Her eye roll warms my chest. Her lip bite tightens my pants. "I want you," I tell her frankly, admiring the steady rise and fall of her chest.

"You have me," she replies, eyes hooded, sleepy.

The elevator doors slide open. Blinking back lust, we exit and turn down the hall. It only takes a few seconds – but feels like forever – before we're at her door. The scene feels familiar as she rustles in her bag for her keys.

"You'd think I'd clean this shit out…" she murmurs to herself. "Daily struggle and all."

"But you need all of that." I add, injecting into my voice the attitude she's used on me the numerous times I've suggested she clean out her purse.

"Fuck off – aha!" Keys in hand, Bella pushes the door open and turns to tug me inside by my shirtfront.

"Woah!" I laugh, stumbling in after her. "Easy, babe."

She just shrugs and fuses her mouth to mine. Smiling into the kiss, I kick the door shut behind me and reach down to lift her onto my hips. Luscious ass in hand, I turn and press her into the wall.

"I want you," she tells me, fisting my hair and pulling my face back to hers. Our mouths are frenzied as they meet; our desperation for each other giving way.

Hands grasp at and pull off clothes. Naked skin meets naked skin. My knees give out when her hand cups me between my legs. Not missing a beat, she shrugs and mounts me on the floor.

We gasp into each other's mouth as she rides me. Her hands feel so small on my shoulders. Her waist so delicate in my palms. We consume each other passionately, but not without reverence. Like the first time, and all the times after that, I trace her body, memorizing every detail. Mesmerized by every detail.

As we both come to a crescendo and collapse against each other, I can't help but smile. This. This is what love feels like. This is everything and nothing at the same time.

This is bliss. Total and complete bliss.

 _-Hallway-_

"Hey, dad," I murmur into the phone, glancing at the closed door of my office.

"Son," my dad says, voice full of pleasant surprise. "It's so nice to hear from you outside of your daily text!"

"Alright, alright," I laugh, rolling my eyes at his attempted razz. "There's actually a reason for me calling."

"I figured," dad chuckles. "Go on then. Get on with it so you can hang up on me. You millennials and your fear of personal interaction."

Shaking my head, I ignore dad's comment. "I… well… it's about mom's engagement ring."

"Mom's engagement ring?" Dad asks, statement phrased like a question despite the total lack of surprise in his tone. "What about it?"

"Yeah."

There's a heavy pause before I swallow my nerves and continue.

"I… I wanted to know if there was any way that I could have it."

I'm met by silence on the other end of the line. The steady in-and-out of his breaths is the only indication that he's still there.

"I just…" I start and stop, combing my fingers through my hair as I try to gather my thoughts. "Mom was so important to me… and to Bella… and I thought it would be so much more meaningful…"

After a beat, dad lets out a soft chuckle. "Finally," he murmurs, voice light, happy. "I thought you'd never ask, son. Of course, you can have the ring. Your mother would have loved for Bella to have it."

"Oh," I mutter dumbly. "Yeah – of course – thanks, dad."

"I'm just so happy for you kids." Dad continues. "Liz always knew you two would end up together."

"I just want to make her proud." My eyes close at that statement, trying to hold back the onslaught of tears. Swallowing, I tilt my head back and comb my fingers through my hair.

"Oh, Edward," dad murmurs. "She's proud of you no matter what you do, son. All she ever wanted was the best for you."

"I miss her," I admit after a beat.

"I do, too." Dad sighs. "I miss her every day."

Sighing, I wipe the back of my hand over my eyes. "She," I start, glancing sharply at the framed photo of her on my desk. Her warm smile makes my heart ache. "She was beautiful."

"She sure was…" Dad murmurs wistfully. "You look a lot like her."

"Thankfully." I quip, lips quirking up in an involuntary smile.

"Hah!" Dad laughs, parroting me with the sound of a smile in his voice. "Thankfully."

"Love you, dad." I laugh, feeling relived and excited and nervous all at once.

"Love you, too, son." He pauses, breathing out a slow sigh before continuing. "My only son… getting engaged…" His voice is soft, thoughtful. "That's cause for celebration!"

"Yeah, well," I murmur, palming my neck. "She has to say yes first."

"She'll say yes," he assures me. "She'd be stupid not to."

Shaking my head, I disconnect the call. Staring down at my phone, I can't help but mull over his parting comment. She'll say yes, right? We're clearly headed in that direction… Then again… we _have_ been known to make some pretty stupid decisions.

I only hope that saying "no" isn't one of them.

* * *

 **What do you guys think? Will she say yes? Or will she make one last stupid decision and ruin it all? Let me know what you think in the comments!**

 **Love you all and thank you so much for sticking it out with me!**

 **xo**


	28. twenty-eight

**twenty-eight**

* * *

 _The Best Friend_

* * *

"Does this remote even work?" Vic cries, smacking it against her palm several times before chucking it onto the coffee table in defeat.

"It would… if you were nice to it, babe." Emmett chuckles, grabbing the discarded remote and switching channels easily.

"Bite me." Vic sighs, falling back against the couch. "Where the fuck is he, anyway?"

"Getting the food." Emmett laments for what must be the millionth time. "Do you even listen when I speak? Or am I just talking to myself over here?"

At Emmett's words, Vic scoffs. "You're so fucking dramatic."

"You're so fucking insensitive!" Emmett counters.

"I'm gonna go…" I cut in, thumbing over my shoulder before making a swift exit. Sighing, I duck into the kitchen and lean heavily against the counter. I love the two of them – separately – but I can't fucking stand them together. I have never understood how couples that bicker all the time stay together… I guess it must be some type of foreplay for them?

Glancing at my watch, I sigh. Edward's been gone for over an hour. Vic is right, what the fuck is taking him so long? That thought is punctuated by the front door clicking open.

"Hey!" I call, ducking out of the kitchen and intercepting Edward the door. "Thank god you're back. I was about to go crazy with those two in there!"

"Yeah, well, I'd rather endure those two than deal with the hell I've just managed to escape." Edward sighs, dropping the takeout bags on the counter. "Apparently the person that took our order lost it, so I had to wait around for them to cook it all."

"I'd still rather that than what I've just fucking dealt with."

Shrugging, Edward chuckles. "I missed you," he murmurs, gathering me in his arms and inhaling deeply from my neck.

"Ugh, I did, too." I moan, twisting my fingers in his soft, cotton shirt. "We're fucking pathetic."

"Sickening." Edward agrees, dropping a kiss to my temple.

"Are you two done making out?" Vic grumbles, stomping into the kitchen and going straight for the takeout bags.

"I'm starving." Emmett comments, following close on her tail.

"When are you not?" Vic quips, handing him a Styrofoam case of food. "You're a fucking monster, babe."

"You like it," he grins, flashing deep dimples.

"I do," Vic nods, tearing into her food.

Grimacing, I raise my eyebrows at Edward and gesture to them. He shrugs, pinches my ass, and follows the couple from hell into the living room. Expelling a deep, cleansing sigh, I grab my food, say a quick prayer for my sanity, and follow after them.

 _-Hallway-_

"She texted you yesterday?" Edward asks, pressing his thumbs into the soles of my feet.

"Mmm, yes." I groan, dropping back onto the couch. "That feels amazing."

"Did you text her back?" Edward continues, pressing the pads of my toes between his fingers.

"Nope," I sigh, throwing my arm over my face.

"Why not?"

"Nothing to say, really." I shrug. "She cut me out of her life for no reason and now wants to chit-chat like nothing happened? Nobody does a complete one-eighty like that. That's just not realistic!"

"Sure," Edward nods. "But maybe you should just talk to her? For Jasper's sake."

"Maybe," I shrug. "But that would be something someone that is considerate would do. I'm not considerate. I'm not!"

"Well, at least you can admit it." Edward laughs, patting my feet before getting up off the couch. "I think you should consider it."

"Maybe." I sigh, gnawing my lip thoughtfully.

 _-Hallway-_

' _Lunch. It's just lunch.'_ I tell myself, rubbing my sweaty palms against my jean-clad legs. I've been trying to convince myself that I can do this for the past ten minutes, with little success. Instead, I've been loitering in the parking lot watching the numbers tick by on my dashboard clock.

I'm fucking pathetic. I just need to shape up and face my fucking problems. I get the urge to slap myself, but I don't want to have to explain the red mark it'll surely make. Can you imagine that? _'Oh, hey, Alice. No, I didn't get into a fucking fight with someone before coming here. Fuck-you-very-much.'_ A smile breaks across my face at that thought.

Fuck, I'm stalling.

Hesitantly, I step out of the car and stare up into the sky imploringly. Please, give me the strength and guidance to just get this fucking over with.

"Uhm, hey." I nearly jump out of my skin at the sound of Alice's voice.

"Oh, hi." My attempted smile comes out more like a grimace. "I guess we're both running a little late, huh?"

"Yeah," Alice tucks a strand of dark hair behind her ear. "Something like that."

Feeling awkward, I gesture for her to walk ahead of me. She presses her lips together in a half smile and nods, leading the way. It only takes a few minutes for them to prepare our table, but it feels like an eternity. Shuffling our belongings, we settle into seats across from each other and let out a collective sigh.

"So…" I start, adjusting the cutlery in order to keep my hands busy. "How's Emerson?"

"Oh," Alice smiles. "Good, he's just perfect."

"Good." I nod. "Sleeping through the night?"

"Ha," Alice laughs. "No. No such luck. Jasper and I are living in hell, but hey, at least we're in it together!"

"Hm," I hum, nodding. "You sound happy."

"I am." She nods, biting her lip. "Are you?"

Pausing, I take a moment to reflect on my life this past year. Of course, I've had some ups and downs – especially when it comes to the whole 'winning Edward back' thing. However, I'd definitely place myself in the 'happy' category.

"Yeah," I tell her, shrugging. "I am."

"I'm glad." Alice grins. "I know this is a long time coming… but I'm sorry."

Swallowing, I glance down at my hands folded in my lap. I don't know what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't that. Alice has always been the type to stubbornly stand by her decisions, even when they clearly aren't the best.

"I really am." Alice continues. "It was never my place to come between the two of you. I should have just supported your decision to stay passive – even if I didn't agree with it."

"Yeah," I laugh, shaking my head at how surreal this situation is. "It would have saved us a lot of drama, that's for sure."

"Ha," Alice laughs. "Well, you know me… I've always had a flare for the dramatics."

"True." I nod, gnawing my lip. "It's just... the one thing I don't understand is why you just cut me out completely? That just… doesn't seem like you. Constant abuse until I bend to your will – yes. Cutting me out of your life – no."

"I know," Alice sighs tiredly. "I only meant to… ice you out for like… a week. But you were so upset after that week, I decided to give you some space. And then your mom started shit talking to my mom, which made me upset, and then weeks turned to months. I'm so sorry, Bella. I'm a bad friend. I wanted to end the feud a while ago, but I was too stubborn to admit I was wrong. I know this is a long shot, but I hope someday we can at least be friends."

Gnawing my lip, I begin to digest this new information. It honestly makes a lot of sense. Alice _is_ so dramatic that she'd turn something so small into a fucking mountain. But can we be friends after all of this?

Normally, I'd say no. Friendship itself is hard work, even without all of this extra baggage lying around. But then I start thinking about what Edward said to me earlier this week. It would make things a lot easier if we just… buried it all. And, I mean, Alice seems very willing to do just that… which would make _me_ the bad guy if I decided to hold onto this stupid fucking vendetta. And I'm just so fucking tired of being the bad guy all the time.

Smiling to myself, I decide to just fuck it. Holding onto all of these negative emotions is just going to make me sick. I need to just… throw all of this out and start over. It's what a considerate person would do. And I want to try – to be considerate, that is.

"Maybe," I shrug. "But… for now, we can just have lunch."

* * *

 **Hi all - hope you guys are having a great Holiday season! I sure have! I've been using this time off to be very productive, writing-wise. (: W** **hat do you guys think? Like? Dislike? We only have two more chapters left until the story will be marked complete. Are you ready? Not ready?** **Let me know in the comments!**

 **Also - I've started a new story, titled "Prey" and I've included the summary below. It seems foreboding because... well... its supposed to! The story - like Hallway - is an attempt to depict true-to-life situations that people tend to look away from. Unlike Hallway, the problem, or nightmare, won't be evident until we're pretty deep in the story. So... I feel like any forewarnings about content feel like spoilers to me! So, read at your own risk? That sounds bad. Eh, whatever!**

 **Anyway, hope you all have enjoyed reading me talk to myself. Until next time!**

 **xo**

 **Prey:** Behind a painted smile lies secrets many wish to keep. A modern nightmare.


	29. twenty-nine

**twenty-nine**

 _The Prize_

* * *

Have you ever tried to keep a secret from your best friend?

Don't – it fucking sucks. Especially when your best friend is also your girlfriend.

"You're acting weird." Bella tells me over breakfast. Her eyes narrow, most likely zeroing in on my brain waves.

"No, I'm not." I counter, stirring shredded cheese into my grits.

"Yes," she pauses, observing my behavior before continuing. "Yes, you are."

"I'm really not," I lie, adjusting my silverware. "But please, enlighten me."

"First," Bella starts, gazing at me through narrowed eyes. "The condescending tone is not appreciated. Cut that shit out – now. Second, you ordered grits. At brunch. You never order grits. I don't even think you _like_ grits. That's fucking weird. Are you on some sort of diet? If so, what diet includes grits – of all things – as a breakfast option."

Sighing, I palm my face in order to stifle my laughter. "You're reading way into this, babe."

"Am I?" Bella asks, tapping my bowl of grits with her fork. "Because I haven't seen you take a single bite. You just keep stirring in more and more cheese."

Frowning, I pick up my spoon and shovel a whole mouthful in. "Happy now?" I warble around the sopping mess. Swallowing, I continue. "I had a craving for grits this morning. Fucking sue me."

Frowning, Bella spears a piece of melon with her fork and pops it into her mouth. "I'm still onto you, weirdo."

Chuckling, I shake my head. Of all things to notice as "weird," she zeroes in on my food choice. Not the fact that I've been jumpy, awkward, and carrying around a ring box for weeks, searching for the perfect moment to fucking propose.

God, I'm bad at this.

 _-Hallway-_

"Just fucking ask her!" Jasper cries, wiping sweat from his brow. "It's really not that hard, dude. You know she's going to say yes. She was prepared to go all wedding crashers for you not too long ago."

"Yeah, well," I huff, arms shaking as I push the barbell above my head. "You have no idea what it's like, man."

"I don't?" Jasper quips, glancing away from his reflection long enough to fix me with a confused stare. "I know plenty. I mean, I've done it before. And so have _you_."

"Angela was different." I respond, dropping the barbell to the ground. "And so was Alice. They're simple. Bella's not. She's… mysterious, unpredictable. Like a snake, or something."

"A snake?" Jasper repeats. "Jesus, are you really that scared of her?"

"Scared?" I laugh. "No, I'm not scared." Well, not really. But not like scared, scared. More like nervous, scared. I don't know. Maybe I am scared. Fuck.

"Edward," Jasper laughs, turning and gripping me by my biceps. "Just fucking ask her, man. She's going to say yes."

"Fuck," I sigh, palming my forehead. "Yeah, okay, like a Band-Aid, right?"

"Sure," Jasper chuckles. "It'll be that easy, dude."

"You think I should, like, plan something romantic?" I ask, picking up the barbells and resuming my workout.

"Why?" Jasper huffs, pausing to glance at me.

"Well, girls like that shit, right?"

"I mean, yeah." Jasper shrugs, setting down his weights to take a pull from his water bottle. "But does Bella?"

"Not really." I sigh, "I started to write a little speech, but then I thought she might laugh at something like that. But now that I've decided to just wing it, the thought of improvising the whole thing is becoming a bit intimidating."

"Dude, you're over thinking it." Jasper laughs. "Just drop to a knee, flash the ring, and ask her to be your wife. It's that easy."

"Just, like, out of nowhere?"

"Yeah!" Jasper cries, slapping my back. "Right in the middle of the grocery store, if that's what you need to do. Who fucking cares."

"Huh," I mutter, rubbing a towel over my face. "Okay, yeah. Maybe it is that easy."

 _-Hallway-_

It's not.

I feel like a walking ball of nerves. Constantly. Every moment could be a moment that I propose, but right when I start to think about doing it, I feel vomit crawling up my throat and stop. The stress of it all is upsetting my stomach, so now grits is basically _all_ I can eat without feeling sick. This, of course, has Bella even more suspicious than she was before.

"Are you dieting?" She asks, for the millionth time.

"No, I'm not." I sigh, stirring my grits and swallowing back nausea. I could just ask her right now, but I'm too much of a fucking pussy to do it.

"I can tell you've lost weight, Ed." She continues, frowning at me from across the table. "You looked fine before. Lose any more weight and you're going to be skeletal."

"I know." I whine, running my hands through my hair in frustration. "It's just… I'm just…" I want to tell her about the stress, but I can't. Normally, I would, but because she's pretty much the source of my stress it's awkward. Especially because I don't want to give myself away.

Fuck this is a mess.

"What's wrong, baby?" She asks, sliding into the seat beside me.

"I…" I start, fisting my hair. "Nothing, sorry, nothing's wrong."

"I'm not buying that." Bella sighs, running a soothing hand over my back. "You've been acting weird lately. I'm not going to lie… it has me feeling, uh, anxious."

"Anxious?" I ask, lifting my head. "Why?"

"Well," she starts, gnawing her lower lip. "I mean you've kind of been avoiding me lately. And when we _are_ together, you act weird as hell. I can't help but think… are you over it?"

"Over what?" I ask, brows pulling together in confusion.

"Over us?" Bella sighs. "Are you breaking up with me?"

"What?" I nearly shout. "Me? Breaking up with you? Why would you even think that?"

"I don't know!" She cries, slapping her hands down on the table. "Maybe it's because you've been acting like a total weirdo for like… weeks! And when I confront you about it, you deny it! I mean, what the fuck, Edward! Tell me I'm fucking wrong to be worried."

"You're fucking wrong to be worried." I laugh, shaking my head. Fingering the ring box in my pocket, I let out a heavy sigh. Here it is. The vomit – except this time it's of the word variety. "I've been going out of my mind for weeks. Stressing, trying to find the perfect fucking timing. I'm sorry that I've been making you anxious, babe. I mean, I'm fucking anxious, so no wonder you are."

"But why?" Bella says, sliding her hand under my shirt to rub soothing circles into my skin. "Why are you stressing so much?"

"Because," I sigh, dropping my head onto my arms. "This is fucking hard."

"What is?" She coos, dropping a soft kiss to the back of my neck. "Tell me, Ed. It'll make you feel better, I'm sure."

"I've been practically killing myself, trying to find the perfect time." I mutter into my arms. "But winging it is fucking hard. Jasper said it wouldn't be, but it is." Lifting my head, I tug the ring box from my pocket and place it on the table in front of her.

Frowning, Bella sits up and swallows. "What's in there, Edward?"

Swallowing my nerves, I turn it toward her and open it, revealing the small, glittering ring inside. "All this time, I've been trying to find the perfect time to ask you. Isabella Swan, will you marry me?"

"Holy shit," she whispers, eyes watering as she gently fingers the ring inside the box. "Is this real?"

"The ring?" I laugh, gently prying it from the box. "Yeah, it was my mom's."

"No," she cries, shaking her head. "Not the ring. This." She gestures to the space between us. "Are you really proposing right now?"

"Um, yeah." I laugh, pressing the ring into her palm. "So, what do you say? Will you, uh, will you marry me?"

Blinking back tears, Bella's face splits into a wide, watery grin. "Of course, I'll marry you, Edward! I thought you'd never fucking ask!"

Smiling in relief, I slide the ring onto her finger and gather her in my arms. "Thank god," I murmur against her cheek.

"What?" She laughs, digging her fingers into my ribs. "You thought I'd say no?"

"No!" I cry, before shrugging and looking down at our clasped hands. "Maybe. I don't know."

"Oh, Edward," she sighs. "You could ask me to jump off a bridge and I'd say yes."

Grinning, I nudge her nose with mine. "I love you."

Sighing, she dips her head and captures my lips with hers. Pulling away, she drops a kiss to my chin and murmurs, "I love you, more." My chest warms, expands. Heart thrumming, hammering, pounding away. My face feels like it'll never stop smiling.

This. This is what love feels like.

"Ok," Bella laughs, pushing away from the table. "I'll be right back. I need to take a picture of the ring for Instagram."

* * *

 **Hi all - surprise! Updating two stories on the same day! I know, I'm fancy (: Anyway, what do you guys think about Edward's proposal? He was really shitting a brick, huh? All that is left is chapter 30, which will be an Epilogue. I know, I'm sad, too, that it's over. But fret not, there will be more stories to come! (Not from this world, though. This story is over.)**

 **Anyway, I'll try to update with the Epilogue next week! Until then, why don't you hop over and give Prey a try? If you enjoyed the frustrations you felt toward the characters of Hallway, you'll certainly love Prey.**

 **xo j**


	30. epilogue

**epilogue**

* * *

 _The Fiancée_

* * *

Standing against the bar, I comb my fingers through my hair roughly and sigh.

"Can I get you something to drink?" The bartender asks, leaning his arms onto the bar top and smiling. My teeth sink into my lip thoughtfully.

"Um," I start, trying to think of something, anything I'd like to drink.

"She'll have a mojito." A voice says from beside me. "And I'll take a beer. Whatever is most popular on tap." The bartender nods and ducks away to begin making our drinks.

"That was assumptive of you." I say, turning to face my drink benefactor. He grins, shrugging.

"You looked like you needed a drink."

"Did I?" I remark, voice snarky. "And what gave me away?"

"Well, you're standing by the bar." He says, eyes dipping to survey my outfit. "And, at the risk of being assumptive, yet again, you're a bride-to-be out on her bachelorette party. That makes me obligated to buy you at least one drink."

Frowning, I glance down at my gauzy, white sundress and the bright pink sash that reads "Bridezilla." Smirking, I smooth my hands down my dress and shrug. "Your observation skills are unparalleled."

"I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted." He laughs, thanking the bartender when he deposits our drinks on the table.

"Both," I raise my eyebrows sarcastically. "Neither."

"Hm," He hums, sipping his beer. "Feisty – I like it."

"Sure, you do." I chuckle, taking a long pull from my drink.

"So, if it's your bachelorette party… why are you here, at the bar, alone?" His brows raise questioningly. I frown, glancing away quickly.

"My friends went to bed. It's been a long day."

"Ah," he nods, smirking. "Bunch of lightweights, huh?"

"Something like that," I laugh, the image of Alice drunkenly standing on the table at Senor Frogs flashing behind my eyes. "They don't get out much. I don't blame them for getting trashed."

"You're a good friend." He says, eyeing me thoughtfully. "Most brides would be pissed to be left alone. Especially during their bachelorette party."

"I can fend for myself." I shrug, chewing my lip.

"I'm sure you can," he nods, peering at me thoughtfully. "Now, seeing as it's your last night out as a single woman, shouldn't you be living it up? Enjoying your freedom while you still can."

Biting my lip, I cock my head and smirk at him. "What are you suggesting?"

"Well," he starts, pursing his lips, "why don't we get out of here?"

Swallowing, I take a cursory glance at his body. Tall, lean, built. "And do what?"

Biting his lip, he shrugs. "Whatever you want." After a moment of silence, he continues. "No one's around. No one has to know. It can stay here, with us. Between us."

Frowning, I mull over his suggestion. His offer is tempting… _very_ tempting. "Okay."

Smirking, he grasps my hand and guides me out of the room. We follow a few passageways, which lead us into the main lobby and elevator bank. He depresses the button to call for a car and smiles. "My room or yours?"

"Yours." I respond automatically. Vic is passed out in mine. No way I'd take some guy back there. He nods, smiling as he pulls me into the elevator.

We stand side-to-side in the small space. Our arms brush, skin against skin. My eyes slide shut at the sensation. It's like there's a live wire under my skin, setting me aflame.

The doors slide open. He turns to me, lips parted, eyes hooded. "Come on…"

My feet stumble as we duck out into the hall. His hand finds mine, grasping tightly as he tows me to his doorway. He fumbles in his wallet for his keycard. My hands comb through my hair nervously. I don't know if I can do this.

"Hey," he murmurs, turning to face me. "We don't have to do anything."

"Yeah," I nod, frowning before glancing up at him. His gaze warms, lips parting in a reassuring smile. My breath quickens and my hands act out of their own accord, grasping him around his neck and pulling his mouth down to mine. Our lips part eagerly, sucking and tasting and groaning.

"Fuck," he groans against my mouth, lifting me off my feet and pressing me against the wall.

"Please," I moan, fisting his hair and wrapping my legs around his waist.

"I know," he moans, pressing himself against me.

"Enough," I sigh against his mouth. "Enough of the charade. Take me inside, please."

Grinning, he ducks and presses a searing kiss against my lips. "Okay," he murmurs against my mouth. "I love you, Isabella." Drawing back, his green eyes nearly sparkle as he carries me into his room.

"I love you, too." I reply, stroking his sharp cheekbones lovingly. "Edward."

 _-Hallway-_

"It better fucking zip up." I growl, sucking in my stomach and gritting my teeth.

"It will." Vic mutters, face straining in the mirror as she struggles with the zipper of my wedding dress. "God forbid, I _will_ make it zip up."

"I told you to hold back on the cupcakes." Mom replies, warily watching me from her spot on the couch.

"I don't think it's the cupcakes." Alice murmurs, chewing her lip as she watches on. I flash her a warning look and try to press my stomach in. If I knew this was going to happen… I would have ordered my dress in a larger size.

"There!" Vic cries, smiling in victory. "Crisis averted."

"Bless," mom sighs, standing and striding over to me. "Oh, Isabella. You make one gorgeous bride."

Smiling, I tuck my hair behind my ears and shrug. "Thanks, mom."

"Now, just…" she murmurs, reaching out to adjust my neckline. Her hands are firm as they manhandle my boobs into place. Gasping, I push her hands away and cover my chest protectively.

"Fuck, mom!" I cry, fighting back tears at the throbbing pain that bursts through my chest. "Take it easy!"

"Hm," mom hums thoughtfully. "No champagne at breakfast… sensitive breasts… Isabella, are you pregnant?"

"W-what?" I stutter, glancing at my friends for help. They shoot me sheepish grins and duck out of the room. What help, that lot.

"Don't bother denying it, sweetheart." Mom says, eyes flashing in warning. "I can tell. You've gained weight and you're practically glowing."

"Okay," I sigh, sitting down heavily in the wardrobe chair. "You caught me."

"Oh, honey." Mom murmurs, voice quavering with emotion. "I… words can't express how happy I am right now. Why didn't you tell me the moment you knew?"

"Edward and I wanted to keep it a secret… we wanted to announce it at the wedding."

Frowning, mom nods. "Well, I'm sorry I ruined your surprise."

"No, mom, it's fine. I should have told you earlier. I'm sorry for keeping you in the dark." Mom smiles, reaching out to palm my cheek.

"I love you, my sweet, silly girl. Now, let's get you married!"

 _-Hallway-_

"Lizzie, hon, you need to hold mama's hand." I remind my daughter, stooping low to scoop her small hand in mine. She flashes me an apologetic smile, squeezing my hand as we tread down the hall.

"Do you know what room they're in?" Edward asks, adjusting the straps of the baby carrier in which our infant son, Luca, hangs, sleeping soundly.

"Em said room 325," I nod to the room coming up ahead, "which is right there."

At my admission, Lizzie immediately drops my hand and shoots forward toward the door. Grasping the handle, she starts to wrench it open.

"Lizzie!" I reprimand. "What did I say?"

Grinning sheepishly, she dances back to my side. "Sorry, mama."

"You can't just barge into the room." I remind her, eyebrows raised. "Aunt Rosie might not be ready to have visitors. You have to knock first."

Squirming, she nods. "Sorry, mama. It's just… Quinn's in there!"

Smirking, Edward rolls his eyes, steps around us, and raps his knuckles against the door.

"I know," I sigh, palming the back of her head. With bright red ringlets and even brighter green eyes, she's the spitting image of Edward's mom – her namesake. "You'll see him soon, I promise." Lips pursed defiantly, she nods in ascent despite the rebellion warring in her eyes.

"Hey," Emmett murmurs in greeting as he opens the door. "Glad you guys could make it!"

"Uncie Em!" Lizzie cheers, shooting forward and barreling into his legs.

"Hey, munchkin!" Emmett laughs, grasping Lizzie under her arms and squeezing her wiggling body against him in a tight bear-hug.

"How's she doing?" Edward asks, rubbing Luca's socked foot between his fingers.

"Good, she's doing great. Labor was quick this time – thankfully. Want to meet the baby? Come on in." He grins, motioning for us to enter with Lizzie dangling from his arms.

"Put me down!" Lizzie demands the moment she sees Quinn sprawled out on the little chair beside the bed. Emmett chuckles, placing her gently on her feet. The moment she's down, Lizzie pauses, observing Quinn for a moment, before turning and skipping to Vic's beside.

"She's so pretty." She murmurs, leaning over Vic's shoulder to glance at the baby. "Mama, I want a sister."

Chuckling, I shake my head and glance over at Edward. "We'll see, hon."

"Aren't you going to say hello to Quinn, Lizzie?" Edward says, unsnapping Luca from the carrier and handing him to me.

At the sound of his name, Quinn looks up from his iPad. His face immediately reddens with bashful innocence. Hers screws up and sours.

"No." She spits, turning to face the baby once more. Quinn's face falls. Understanding blooms in my chest. I am sent back in time. I see the situation through the eyes of a little brunette, who thought that being mean to her crush was the best way to show him she liked him. Back in the present, I shake my head and let out an exasperated chuckle.

The vicious cycle continues.

* * *

 **Hi all - I just want to take a moment to thank you all for the love and support you guys have given me! You all have made sharing this story with you that much more worth it! I hope you guys have enjoyed the ride (: I know I have!**

 **If you enjoyed Hallway, hop on over to my new work titled "Prey." I will warn you that there is occasional drug use, however, that is not the main focus of the story. I know that can be a real deal-breaker for some readers, but I promise that it won't be a big problem in this story. If you're not able to stomach that, then I totally understand! (: As always, thanks for the support and I hope to hear from you all soon!**

 **xo j**


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